A baseball coach in Athens, Georgia dismissed a freshmen baseball player after the student was arrested for drunk driving and several other misdemeanor charges last week. In addition to DUI, the freshman baseball player was charged with driving without a license, underage possession of alcohol, and driving on the wrong side of the road. The 19-year-old was released on a $3,000 bond only an hour after his team was supposed to play its first doubleheader game against a number-two ranked team.
"Just the thought that the night before the biggest doubleheader of the season and he puts himself in a situation like that. He doesn't care about this team or this program. He's dismissed," the coach told an Athens news source. The coach also said that the attributed some of the team's failure to the player's attitude, "It's probably why we've sputtered as much as we have because we've probably had some guys that haven't been with us."
The freshmen DUI suspect completed 19 of 32 games playing first base. He played for three Class AAA state champions at Columbus High and was part of the Little League team that won the Little League World Series in 2006. The coach indicated that other members of the team were disappointed with their teammate's behavior, but that decision to dismiss him was "easy."
Underage DUI Charges in Georgia
Underage DUI is a serious threat to public safety on American roadways. Unlike most DUI cases, underage drivers can be convicted of drunk driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .02% - instead of .08%. Common penalties for underage DUI include community service, fines, jail, and probation. Additionally, the driver may lose his/her driving privilege. If you or your child was arrested for underrate drinking and driving, contact the Law Offices of Howard J. Weintraub to see what a reputable Atlanta DUI attorney can do for you.