Sophomore defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter was arrested Sunday morning on DUI charges, and we finally have more details and reactions from Kirby Smart and Ledbetter himself.
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Seth Emerson of DawgNation reported that Ledbetter’s blood alcohol content level was .131 and .138 on two separate tests. Ledbetter’s BAC was well above the legal limit in the state of Georgia, which is .08. That led to his second arrest since March.
On Monday, the football team announced that Ledbetter will be disciplined, and will also be placed in “an intensified education, counseling, and medical assistance program.” The details of his discipline were not disclosed, but DUI charges come with a minimum of two-game suspensions at Georgia.
“Certainly we are disappointed and recognize he has a serious problem,” Kirby Smart said in a statement released by UGA. “We have provided help for him previously and we are committed to providing whatever assistance is necessary for Jonathan that will contribute to immediate improvement but also ensure that his long-term well-being is secure.”
Ledbetter’s car was seen blocking traffic at the intersection of Barnett Shoals and Lexington Road in Athens. The situation was reported to police and, when they arrived to the scene, they found Ledbetter asleep in the car, which was still running.
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The police report states that it took over 30 minutes to wake up Ledbetter. When police did get him awake, they conducted a field sobriety test. The details of the test were listed in the report as well, and they revealed that Ledbetter was pretty delirious while still intoxicated.
He was asked by police if he had been sleeping for a while, to which he replied, “Yes sir, I’m at home.” Ledbetter also asked the officers if he’d passed the sobriety test or not, because he needed to take his boys home. He was the only person who had been in the car the whole time the police were at the scene.
Ledbetter reportedly said he felt like he was a victim of a hate crime. The report says he told police he was a Georgia football player, too, and that he didn’t need to get into legal trouble again because he would get kicked off the team.
The former four-star recruit was booked into the Athens-Clarke County Jail around 6:05 a.m. after his BAC was found to be so high. He was released a few hours later on a $2,000 bond.
He was arrested in March for trying to enter a club with a fake I.D. He was already drunk at the time, too, so he was charged with underage possession of alcohol. Eventually, those charges were dropped.
Despite not facing charges the first time, two arrests within four months is not good. It’s a signal that Ledbetter’s first arrest wasn’t just a one-time thing – he has a real problem. Fortunately, it appears Smart and UGA are committed to helping him overcome it.
It sounds like Ledbetter is remorseful and ready to try and put this behind him, too.
“First I want to apologize to my family, my teammates and coaches, the University and the Bulldog Nation,” said Ledbetter. “I have a problem and have received an incredible amount of support and treatment through the Athletic Department for the problem. For that I am thankful. I ask for everyone’s support as I continue to receive additional treatment for this disease and work toward a healthy life.”