James Padgett, a men’s basketball forward, was arrested in June after allegedly performing poorly on a field sobriety test. University Police pulled him over for driving without headlights.
Terrapins men’s basketball forward James Padgett will face trial this Friday for two charges stemming from a summer traffic incident.
On June 16 at 3:28 a.m., University Police stopped the 21-year-old on Route 1 by Rossborough Lane after he was allegedly driving without headlights, according to the police report. The officer reportedly smelled alcohol and instructed Padgett to perform a field sobriety test, and when he allegedly performed poorly, police placed Padgett under arrest, the report stated.
At the University Police station, an Intoximeter test showed Padgett’s blood alcohol content to be .07, according to the police report. A blood alcohol concentration between .04 and .07 constitutes driving while impaired in this state, whereas a blood alcohol concentration higher than .08 constitutes driving under the influence.
Police charged Padgett with driving while impaired by alcohol and failure to display two lighted front lamps when asked by police, according to court documents. Padgett was cooperative and police released him after completing the tests, which Limansky said is the department’s common practice.
According to the university’s student-athlete code of conduct, a student-athlete charged with a DWI “shall be suspended from 10 percent … of his or her in-season competitive schedule.”
In a statement, athletic officials said, “We’re aware of the situation and have no further comment as this is a pending legal matter.”
Padgett’s trial is set for 1:15 p.m. at Prince George’s County District Court in Hyattsville. Possible penalties for driving while impaired include a six-month license suspension, a maximum $500 fine and a maximum two months in jail.
Padgett started 27 of the Terps’ 32 games last season. He averaged 8.8 points and led the team in rebounding.
