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Lawson pleads to underage drinking
CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson pleaded guilty today on a charge of driving after consuming alcohol under age.
Lawson had already completed 26 hours of community service, an alcohol assessment and a four-page report on the impact of drinking and driving as part of a plea agreement. Prosecutors dismissed a driving while license revoked charge and a noise ordinance violation.
"A lot of people could have been hurt from this, like my parents and my teammates," Lawson said after a short court appearance. "It won't happen again."
UNC coach Roy Williams said through team spokesman Steve Kirschner that he had no comment on Lawson's court appearance. When Kirschner was asked whether there would be any disciplinary action, he repeated that Williams said he had no comment.
Chapel Hill police officer C. Shehan arrested Lawson, 20, at 2:33 a.m. on June 6 on North Columbia St., in the heart of town. The officer stopped Lawson, who was alone in a 2005 four-door Chevrolet with Maryland plates, after hearing loud music coming from the car.
Shehan suspected that Lawson had been drinking, conducted a field sobriety test and found probable cause to charge him with the misdemeanors, Capt. Chris Blue said at the time.
State law prohibits anyone under 21 from driving after drinking any amount of alcohol. Lawson turns 21 on Nov. 3.
— Jesse DeConto
Robbi Pickeral
Robbi Pickeral has covered ACC sports for The News & Observer since 2003. She can be reached at robbi.pickeral@newsobserver.com.
Comments
This Is A Test Comment
Sun, 01/25/2009 - 23:36 — salman22This is a TEST Comment
Salman Khan
Salman Khan
http://www.google.com/
alcohol
Wed, 10/29/2008 - 12:18 — tiberiuI understand your point of view mate, but alcohol rehabilitation should still be a matter to be discussed in the direction of educational change. Many people today still do not realise that drinking and driving is a serious offense... Many of them say just like our mate here: officer I had just one beer... Don't care... You should have had none...
Underage drinking and DUI?
Mon, 10/27/2008 - 11:37 — geremyUnderage drinking and DUI? Well these two come together pretty often and that makes me contemplate the reasons drinking is illegal for people under 21... Who ever thinks that the legal drinking age should be 18 please share your opinion with us! It would be interesting see any of your arguments...
Geremy at Alcohol Rehab
DUI
Tue, 10/07/2008 - 15:11 — Andrew William (not verified)I bet some Rams Club members work for one of the big oil companies.
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Andrew William
DUI
Cross your Fingers!
Tue, 09/30/2008 - 14:24 — jeromfitzHope this won't happen again in the rest your basketball career. It's hard to party in the new 2K decades. Your popularity is out there whenever you make a public appearance. You have to be very careful about how you handle your business. Just tell your friends "Friends don't let Friends drive around drunk." Hope it works in your days to come.
For Ty's sake
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 11:22 — JPDOhioI hope Ty means what he says, for his sake. His actions over the past year, on and off the court, have given me the impression of child who takes for granted his God-given talents and the opportunity he has at UNC. If Ty uses this episode to focus on achieving his potential through hard work and discipline, he will not only lead UNC to a national championship, but secure his own future as well. Otherwise, he will be just another talented athlete who fades away into the world of "woulda, coulda, shoulda".
i've questioned the
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 21:52 — mad_maxi've questioned the character of ty lawson since day one. i don't think he really learned anything from this experience...he's still a punk. but i do think that this could help unc believe it or not. lawson knows he can't do anything like this again or else roy will be done with him...i think roy has more influence over lawson now than before because now he's on thin ice.
Everyone makes mistakes. Ty
Mon, 08/25/2008 - 13:16 — Anonymous (not verified)Everyone makes mistakes. Ty will and probobly already has learned from this. Whoever wrote this is either a state or duke fan! Well see whos on the band wagon come march!!!
wow 20 years old and cant
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 21:38 — Anonymous (not verified)wow 20 years old and cant even drink, what a country
The offenses of Driving
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 20:03 — Anonymous (not verified)The offenses of Driving While Impaired and Driving After Consuming at an age less than 21 are two separate offenses. See N.C.G.S. 20-138.1 and 20-138.3. Mr. Lawson was treated the same way as anyone else who is charged with this offense in Orange County.
WAS HE WRONG AND ACTUALLY
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 20:57 — Anonymous (not verified)WAS HE WRONG AND ACTUALLY STUPID? ABSOLUTELY, BUT TO READ SOME OF THE COMMENTS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT NONE OF YOU EITHER DID STUPID OR HAVE CHILDREN THAT YOU "THINK" ALWAYS MAKE WISE CHOICES--LEAST WE BE FOOLED--WE ALL LIVE AND LEARN AS WE GROW. IT SHOULD NOT BE BIASED AS TO THE TEAM HE PLAYS FOR BUT LET'S HOPE HE DOESN'T THINK HE IS UNTOUCHABLE AND REALIZES THE MULTITUDE OF FAMILY,FRIENDS AND FANS THAT HE HAS DISAPPOINTED AT THIS TIME AND MOVES FORWARD TO CHANGE AND BE THANKFUL.
he's suffered enough
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 15:44 — izzykareem(yes, that sound you hear is a tiny violin weeping for Ty, or you've got tinnitus)
why didn't the cop ask a 20 year old college athlete how he could afford to drive around in a chrevolet; actually they should want to know how he could afford to buy gas for it, that's gotta be an NCAA violation. I bet some Rams Club members work for one of the big oil companies.
LMFAO!!
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 21:01 — gvillegatrLMFAO!!
Actually, there is a zero
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 15:43 — Anonymous (not verified)Actually, there is a zero tolerance rule for alcohol and driving if under the age of 21. The .08 rule does not apply.
Are you kidding me? Can we
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 11:46 — Anonymous (not verified)Are you kidding me? Can we say, "Slap on the wrist?" If he had played for anyone other than the Holes, they would call that a DUI.
Your bias ("holes") and lack
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 12:32 — WNCMikeYour bias ("holes") and lack of knowledge (DUI is driving under the influence ....i.e. with a blood alcohol level of greater than .08 ) lends no credence to your arguement.
nope you are wrong
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 15:21 — Anonymous (not verified)He was under 21 and that is a DUI.
The 0.08% BAC limit is only for those over 21.
Actually, you are wrong
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 21:19 — Anonymous (not verified)Driving after drinking for an under 21 year old is NOT the same as a DUI. It is a crime, but it does not have any of the same ramifications of a DUI. The guy turns 21 in less than 3 months and blew a .03. Get off your high horse. You never drank when you were underrage? A .03 is one beer, maybe 2 for someone Lawson's size. Get over yourself.
I think the biggest problem
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 18:21 — kazkasI think the biggest problem is not drinking, even if you under 21 (I think almost everyone tried that anyway). The key is not to create unnecessary attention and cause danger to others when you drunk, specially if you are rising star, because then everyone's eyes are on you.