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Athens Banner-Herald
Police report offers more details on Georgia football player drug charges
- Story byAthens Banner-Herald
- Police report offers more details on Georgia football player drug charges
The felony drug possession charges against Georgia football player Ja'Marley Riddle in the early afternoon on May 8 came after an undercover Glynn County police officer spotted Riddle weaving his Dodge Durango in and out of traffic at about 95 miles per hour on I-95 South, according to a police incident report.
After Riddle was stopped by another officer on patrol, an "overwhelming odor of marijuana," could be smelled from inside the vehicle, the report obtained Tuesday by the Athens Banner-Herald said.
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Riddle, a junior transfer from East Carolina, was exhibiting "nervous behavior," including shaking so he was asked to step out of the vehicle, but was cooperative while police looked for a VIN number.
Four officers responded to the scene. Riddle told police there was no marijuana inside the car, but he agreed to allow a search.
An officer pulled "a large heat-sealed bag from one of the backpacks in the back seat," the report said. "Inside the backpack was a large amount of multicolored packaging, some with a leafy substance stating marijuana, and some containing vapes stating THC."
Riddle was placed under arrest. He began explaining he had marijuana inside the vehicle, the report said. Police called his mother and sister to inform them of the arrest.
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Riddle was charged with possession of marijuana of more than one ounce, possession of a schedule 1 controlled substance and misdemeanor speeding, according to the Glynn County Sherrif's Office.
Riddle's arrest came less than three months after Georgia linebackers Chris Cole and Darren Ikinnagbon were arrested on driving-releated charges.
Ikinnagbon pleaded guilty on March 30 to driving 105 miles per hour in a 65-mile-per-hour zone, but had charges of reckless driving and following too closely dismissed as part of a plea deal. Cole was charged with reckless driving and speeding.
Georgia athletics did not have further comment on Tuesday on Riddle.
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It released a statement on Friday May 14: "We are aware of the charges are actively gathering additional information. As this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not be providing further comment at this time."
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Police report offers details on drug arrest of Georgia's Ja'Marley Riddle
