Bengals Maualuga charged with DUI

[PedroBourbon]

CINCINNATI -- Police in northern Kentucky have arrested Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga on charges of drunken and careless driving.


Covington police spokesman Spike Jones says Maualuga hit a parking meter and two parked cars early Friday with his 2003 Pontiac. There was minor damage.

The 23-year-old is being held without bond at Kenton County jail, and no attorney is listed for him.

The Bengals' 2009 second-round draft choice from Southern Cal started the first 15 games of his rookie season before breaking his left ankle.

Team spokesman Jack Brennan says he won't comment until the case is resolved.


Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

[WMR]

Great work, Rey. :rolleyes:

[Eric_the_Red]

The more things change....

All my life I've been a Bengals fan, and as I watched more football as an adult the Colts became my #2 team to root for. Incidents like this, the Ochocinco holdout debacle and seeing Mike Brown's refusal to pony up the dough to field a winner (practice bubble anyone?) are pushing me more and more to flip those two teams in my fandom hierarchy.

Ridiculous.

[Mario-Rijo]

Geez Rey way to go. :thumbdown Let's not make this an ongoing issue there buddy.

[CTA513]

Good job helping the Bengals image Rey.

[macro]

I know it's his business, but I wonder why a guy who's making hundreds of thousands of dollar is driving a 2003 Pontiac?

[redsfandan]

He made a stupid mistake but, fortunately, noone was hurt. As long as this is a one time thing I don't see a reason to make a big deal about it. And judging from the other comments that seems like that's all most people want to do.

[HotCorner]

I know it's his business, but I wonder why a guy who's making hundreds of thousands of dollar is driving a 2003 Pontiac?

I read that it was not his car and he was accompanied by two females - one is 18 and the other under 18. :eek:

[HotCorner]

Cincinnati Bengals rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga was arrested early Friday in Covington on charges of drunken driving and careless driving after he allegedly struck two parked cars and a parking meter.

Maualuga, 23, of Cincinnati appeared in Kenton County District Court via a video link from the jail. He pleaded not guilty and was released from jail at 10:30 a.m. on his promise to return for future appearances. He left with Covington attorney W. Robert Lotz.

Maualuga was arrested at 1:45 a.m. Friday after officers responded to 634 Scott Street for a report of a traffic accident, according to Covington Assistant Police Chief Spike Jones.

Police determined that Maualuga was the driver of a 2003 Pontiac Sunfire with Ohio plates that struck two parked vehicles and a parking meter, Jones said. Two female passengers who were with Maualuga were released without being charged.

Maualuga smelled of "intoxicants" and told the officer that he had "about six Captain and Coke drinks," the report states. The officer gave Maualuga field sobriety tests, which he failed, the report states.

"Subject had slurred speech, blood shot, watery eyes and he was unsteady on his feet," the officer wrote.

Maualuga had a blood-alcohol level of .157, according to a Covington Police report. The legal limit is .08. He is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 25 for a pre-trial conference.

Maualuga's arrest puts him up for possible discipline under the NFL's personal conduct policy. Since it is an an alcohol-related offense, he also could be entered into Stage 1 of the league's substance abuse program. Entry in that program is confidential. It is only when a player is in Stage 2 or 3 of the program, where he could be suspended for drug- or alcohol-related offenses that it is publicized.

Maualuga remained in Cincinnati since the end of the season to continue rehabilitation after suffering a broken left ankle in the Dec. 27 game against Kansas City. He started 15 games at outside linebacker in his rookie season after being drafted in the second round.

Bengals public relations director Jack Brennan said: "We don't believe it's appropriate to comment on matters that are not resolved."

This is not Maualuga's first arrest on alcohol-related charges. As a freshman at Southern California in 2005, he drank too much and got in a fight at a Halloween party and was arrested for misdemeanor battery. The charge was eventually dismissed when he agreed to participate in an arraignment diversion program that included counseling, community service and attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

In 2006, the Los Angeles Times reported that then-coach Pete Carroll disciplined him for unruly behavior at a fraternity party. Said Maualuga of those incidents in a USA Today article in 2008: "You learn that you're only given a certain number of chances. If you keep going back to the same things you were doing, it shows that you don't learn from anything. You're not a person that people can count on. It's all about respect, and you can lose that respect. People won't look up to you."

[JaxRed]

Suprised he could fit in a Sunfire

[redsfandan]

This is not Maualuga's first arrest on alcohol-related charges. As a freshman at Southern California in 2005, he drank too much and got in a fight at a Halloween party and was arrested for misdemeanor battery. The charge was eventually dismissed when he agreed to participate in an arraignment diversion program that included counseling, community service and attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

In 2006, the Los Angeles Times reported that then-coach Pete Carroll disciplined him for unruly behavior at a fraternity party. Said Maualuga of those incidents in a USA Today article in 2008: "You learn that you're only given a certain number of chances. If you keep going back to the same things you were doing, it shows that you don't learn from anything. You're not a person that people can count on. It's all about respect, and you can lose that respect. People won't look up to you."
Uh oh, I didn't realize there was already a history. Hopefully he's able to learn that he can't keep doing this kind of thing. For his own sake.

[TeamSelig]

Wow.

[Kingspoint]

Welcome to the Bengals, Rey? He got his cherry.

[goreds2]

I read that it was not his car and he was accompanied by two females - one is 18 and the other under 18. :eek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji-cT58rgNc

[TeamSelig]

Jeez, I get a warning for my post? :rolleyes:

[camisadelgolf]

Jeez, I get a warning for my post? :rolleyes:
Because you said 'Wow.'? Really? It wasn't exactly an intelligent post, but a formal warning is just ridiculous.

[Razor Shines]

Because you said 'Wow.'? Really? It wasn't exactly an intelligent post, but a formal warning is just ridiculous.

This is a content driven site and you've just got to bring more to the table than "wow".

[Dom Heffner]

I'm always a little surprised that multi millionaire athletes are hanging out in Northern Kentucky or Clermont County, as was the case with Chris Henry, I think.

[macro]

Jeez, I get a warning for my post? :rolleyes:

Yes, you did, and you should know why. If you want to comment further, you can send me a PM.

[macro]

Because you said 'Wow.'? Really? It wasn't exactly an intelligent post, but a formal warning is just ridiculous.

If you'll look more closely before commenting, you'll notice that I edited his post. It wasn't extreme, thus the warning and no infraction.

[Newport Red]

I'm always a little surprised that multi millionaire athletes are hanging out in Northern Kentucky or Clermont County, as was the case with Chris Henry, I think.

I see quite a few Bengal players at Main Strasse in the off season.

[TeamSelig]

This is a content driven site and you've just got to bring more to the table than "wow".

Wrong.

"Masked Profanity" (later edited).... I won't comment on it, except that it was in fact far from extreme, so why even bother with it. I don't want any a mod to put their cowboy hat and big golden star back on.

[Razor Shines]

Wrong.

"Masked Profanity" (later edited).... I won't comment on it, except that it was in fact far from extreme, so why even bother with it. I don't want any a mod to put their cowboy hat and big golden star back on.

I thought it was plainly obvious that I was kidding. However un-extreme it was I'm sure worse things have happened on this board. I once, a long time ago, got neg'd by someone for posting that Carson Palmer wears Peyton Manning pajamas. :D

[wolfboy]

I read that it was not his car and he was accompanied by two females - one is 18 and the other under 18. :eek:

As I understand it, the two girls he was with are students at Fairfield High School. The car is registered to a woman who was not present at the time of the incident.

[Yachtzee]

I don't know Kentucky law, but I suspect he'll get first-time offender penalties, be ordered to pay restitution for the damages, and will have to undergo another alcohol treatment program. Plenty of everyday citizens from all walks of life get hit with this around his age. You just hope he learns from the experience and gets help for it now. I won't comment on the females until something concrete comes out of it.

As far as how this reflects on the Bengals, I'm not really concerned. As has been said in other threads, there are plenty of NFL teams that have their fare share of players with run-ins with the law, including the Steelers, Browns, and Ravens. For some reason, this only becomes a big deal when it's the Bengals because they had issues with Odell Thurman and Chris Henry racking up a number of arrests in a short period of time.

[TeamSelig]

I thought it was plainly obvious that I was kidding. However un-extreme it was I'm sure worse things have happened on this board. I once, a long time ago, got neg'd by someone for posting that Carson Palmer wears Peyton Manning pajamas. :D

My bad. I've received another infraction so I think I'll end it with... Rey is an idiot. I thought he was better than that, hence my "wow ---" post.

[bucksfan2]

I don't know Kentucky law, but I suspect he'll get first-time offender penalties, be ordered to pay restitution for the damages, and will have to undergo another alcohol treatment program. Plenty of everyday citizens from all walks of life get hit with this around his age. You just hope he learns from the experience and gets help for it now. I won't comment on the females until something concrete comes out of it.

As far as how this reflects on the Bengals, I'm not really concerned. As has been said in other threads, there are plenty of NFL teams that have their fare share of players with run-ins with the law, including the Steelers, Browns, and Ravens. For some reason, this only becomes a big deal when it's the Bengals because they had issues with Odell Thurman and Chris Henry racking up a number of arrests in a short period of time.

Pretty much my feelings as well.

[CTA513]

According to Bengals.com Maualuga is checking into the Betty Ford Center:



Maualuga looks to family

GEOFF HOBSON


Bengals rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga hasn’t been back to American Samoa since he was three years old and he admits that it is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas as he begins to think about Sunday’s 15-hour plane flight to his ancestral home for a week-long visit.

Among the plans for the trip with fellow Samoan teammates Domata Peko and Jonathan Fanene are visiting areas devastated by last year’s tsunami and talking to the children in the high schools in the capital of Pago Pago. But for Maualuga it is also a trip to immerse himself in his family. His father died early in 2006 after a battle with cancer and he hasn’t seen his brother Rodney since the funeral.

“I’m looking forward to re-connecting with my father’s side of the family,” Maualuga said Saturday night. “A lot has changed in four years, but family is something that doesn’t change and I know I have a lot of cousins there.”

Maualuga felt it is important enough of a trip to postpone by a week checking himself into the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif. ESPN reported Sunday morning that Maualuga is going to spend 30 days in the alcohol treatment center in the wake of his guilty DUI plea earlier this week.

It is believed he’ll be back to Cincinnati in time for the March 29 start of the offseason conditioning program. On Saturday he said he made a bad decision and indicated he’s going to make some changes.

“I think underneath we’re all the same even though some of us are professional athletes,” Maualuga said. “We all like to have a good time in some way or the other, but I made a bad decision getting behind the wheel.”

He said he’s been inspired by Peko’s story of listening to former Titans and Redskins defensive tackle Joe Salave'a’s talk to his high school and wants to make an impact when they visit this week.

“I want them to see me and let them know if I can make it, anyone can make it,” Maualuga said.


http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Maualuga-looks-to-family/3c559fd5-8fae-495b-8cba-3103e487105b

[redsfandan]

Good. Hopefully that helps.