Police arrested former Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith, 2006 winner of the Heisman Trophy, in early April and charged him with marijuana possession and drunk driving.
The arrest happened early on the morning of April 3 outside Columbus, Ohio. Police in suburban Westerville stopped Smith, 31, at 2:38 a.m. after an officer noticed he was weaving on the road and had no front license plate on his car, authorities said.
The officer administered a field sobriety test, which Smith allegedly failed. He agreed to take a Breathalyzer test as required by Ohio law and blew a blood alcohol level of 0.143, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08.
The officer also said he smelled burnt marijuana emanating from the car during the stop: “I made contact with the driver who was later identified as Smith. Smith said something that sounded like he said he was an officer. I asked him if he was a police officer, and he said, ‘I’m great.’ While talking to Smith I could smell an odor of an alcoholic beverage and burnt marijuana coming from inside his vehicle. Smith’s eyes were glassy, and his speech was slurred. I asked Smith about drinking, and he denied drinking.”
Office consensually searched Smith’s car
With Smith’s consent, the officer searched his car and allegedly found two “rolled cigars containing marijuana” inside a glass mason jar in the center console. Smith faces charges of operating a vehicle while impaired, improper display of a license plate, and marijuana possession, all misdemeanors. He was booked at a local jail and released to his girlfriend.
Smith played for The Ohio State University Buckeyes under coach Jim Tressel from 2003 to 2006. He started as running back and kick returner, moving up to backup quarterback in his sophomore year, and then to starter after the previous quarterback was injured.
Smith won the Heisman in 2006, taking nearly 92 percent of the vote, a record that still stands. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens the next year as a fifth-round pick and played with that team for three seasons. He moved to the San Francisco 49ers in 2010 before joining the United Football League and the Canadian Football League. He retired in 2014 but is still considered a free agent.
Smith joins a long list of current and former football players, both college and pro, who have been busted on minor marijuana charges. University of Alabama running back Tyren Jones was kicked off that team in 2015 after an arrest for possession. The same year, New York Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson was suspended for four games for cannabis use under the NFL’s stringent anti-marijuana rules.
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