Packers Running Back Faces Pot-Related Charges
The post Packers Running Back Faces Pot-Related Charges appeared first on High Times.
Apparently, Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones isn’t nearly as elusive with the cops as he is on a football field.
The Packers rookie running back reportedly faces three citations stemming from an early October arrest at a traffic stop, where he also admitted to smoking cannabis prior to operating a motor vehicle.
Jones In Hot Water
According to Wisconsin court records, the 22-year old Jones has pleaded not guilty to counts of speeding in a 55 mph zone (20-24 over), driving without a valid license and operating a vehicle with a controlled substance in his system. The charges were filed back on October 2, a few days prior to Jone’s first NFL start against the Dallas Cowboys, but were previously unreported.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy spoke to the media Monday morning and said he spoke to the standout rookie following his arrest.
“I spoke to Aaron after the incident,” McCarthy said. “It’s been awhile. I don’t recall the date. He made a mistake, and I know it’s a pending legal situation. But yes I am aware of it.”
According to a report by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jones was pulled over around 11:37 a.m. on Sunday, October 1, for speeding on Highway 172. According to State Trooper Dillon Larson’s report, Jones was going 79 mph in a 55 mph zone.
When Larson approached the car, he smelled a strong odor of pot and noticed Jones’ eyes were bloodshot and red.
Jones admitted to Larson he had smoked pot a few hours earlier after eating breakfast. After a search of Jones’ car, no additional cannabis was found. Jones was then asked to do a field sobriety test, before being taken to the station for a mandatory blood test. He was released from custody at 1:33 p.m.
Jones’ not guilty written pleas were entered November 15, with the final pre-trial hearing scheduled for February 1, 2018, at the Brown County Courthouse.
Final Hit: Packers Running Back Faces Pot-Related Charges
It remains to be seen what punishment Jones faces from the league following the arrest, but chances are, he won’t face any discipline in 2017. The NFL doesn’t penalize players that face substance-abuse charges until the incident is settled in court, so most likely, Jones will only face punishment if he’s convicted next year.
Unfortunately for Jones, who is currently nursing a knee injury and remains sidelined for the next three to six weeks, this isn’t his first run-in with the law. Jones was also arrested back on February 10, 2016, for a DWI, and subsequently entered a program which would allow all charges to be dropped upon completion.
Unlike alcohol, there hasn’t been a definitive solution for those driving under the influence of cannabis. One of the main roadblocks to mass legalization of the plant is finding a way to accurately test and punish stoned drivers.
The state of Michigan has recently begun a one-year pilot program that will test drivers’ saliva for illicit substances, including marijuana, but the jury is still out on whether or not it will prove to be a reliable barometer.
Additionally, proponents and detractors alike mostly agree that driving under the influence of weed is a threat to society, mostly because of users varying tolerance levels to the psychoactive effects of cannabis.
The post Packers Running Back Faces Pot-Related Charges appeared first on High Times.
