Cedric is making Longhorn fans proud again
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 2:11 am
UT-ex Cedric Benson arrested again
01:31 PM CDT on Saturday, June 7, 2008
By CHIP BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
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AUSTIN — Former Texas running back Cedric Benson of the Chicago Bears was charged with driving while intoxicated in downtown Austin early Saturday morning, one month after being charged with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest on Lake Travis.
According to Austin police spokeswoman Veneza Aguinaga, Benson was pulled over after allegedly running a red light in downtown Austin at about 3:15 a.m. Saturday morning. Benson failed a field sobriety test, Aguinaga said, and then Benson refused to submit to a breathalyzer or blood test.
Benson, 25, was taken to the Travis County Jail at 4:31 a.m. and released at 8:48 a.m. after posting $2,000 bond, according to officials at the jail.
Austin Police Department
“A bondsman who went to get him out said he did not seem intoxicated to him,” said Benson’s attorney Sam Bassett of Austin. “That’s all I know. I haven’t even talked to Cedric yet. I think he’s in a hurry to get back to Chicago to talk to his coach and team about this.”
Bassett said Benson was in Austin for his mother’s birthday weekend.
Benson was charged with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest May 3 on Lake Travis, both Class B misdemeanors punishable by up to six months in jail and $2,000 in fines for each charge. Benson and at least one witness on his boat have said he was not drunk and was the victim of overaggressive authorities, who used pepper spray on him during the arrest.
“He was parked in a cove and his boat was off, and he gets detained for possibly boating while intoxicated,” Bassett said.
“Well, first of all he wasn’t boating. He was on a boat, but he wasn’t boating. So I’m pretty confident about that case, whatever we have to do to get it cleared.”
Benson’s hearing on those charges is scheduled for June 30. Benson will not be required to appear at that hearing, Bassett said.
“This latest charge doesn’t change my mind about the first case, but it’s obviously not something we wanted to deal with,” Bassett said. “I’m not sure what it’s going to do to his status with the (Bears).
“But from a lawyer’s perspective, I’ve got to look at this new case and see what we can do about it and see if he was intoxicated. Everything should be on videotape. So that’s the good thing about this case, as opposed to the other one.”
Benson’s latest arrest could only complicate his relationship with the Chicago Bears, who selected him No. 4 overall in the 2005 NFL Draft. Benson was already under fire in Chicago from the media and Bears fans for his performance on the field. His arrests are likely to add to that.
“In the court of public opinion, this new thing is going to be a problem for him and we’re going to have to do everything we can to clear him,” Bassett said. “In the meantime, he’s got to deal with his team and the NFL and all that stuff.”
Benson rushed for 674 yards and just 3.4 yards per carry with four touchdowns before going on injured reserve in November. In three years with the Bears, Benson has rushed for 1,593 yards (3.8 yards per carry) and 10 touchdowns. He has missed 13 games.
Benson rushed for 5,540 yards and 64 touchdowns with a 5.0 yards per carry average at Texas, becoming the first back in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in four straight seasons. He is the school’s No. 2 all-time leading rusher behind Ricky Williams (6,279 yards).
01:31 PM CDT on Saturday, June 7, 2008
By CHIP BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
chipbrown@dallasnews.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
AUSTIN — Former Texas running back Cedric Benson of the Chicago Bears was charged with driving while intoxicated in downtown Austin early Saturday morning, one month after being charged with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest on Lake Travis.
According to Austin police spokeswoman Veneza Aguinaga, Benson was pulled over after allegedly running a red light in downtown Austin at about 3:15 a.m. Saturday morning. Benson failed a field sobriety test, Aguinaga said, and then Benson refused to submit to a breathalyzer or blood test.
Benson, 25, was taken to the Travis County Jail at 4:31 a.m. and released at 8:48 a.m. after posting $2,000 bond, according to officials at the jail.
Austin Police Department
“A bondsman who went to get him out said he did not seem intoxicated to him,” said Benson’s attorney Sam Bassett of Austin. “That’s all I know. I haven’t even talked to Cedric yet. I think he’s in a hurry to get back to Chicago to talk to his coach and team about this.”
Bassett said Benson was in Austin for his mother’s birthday weekend.
Benson was charged with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest May 3 on Lake Travis, both Class B misdemeanors punishable by up to six months in jail and $2,000 in fines for each charge. Benson and at least one witness on his boat have said he was not drunk and was the victim of overaggressive authorities, who used pepper spray on him during the arrest.
“He was parked in a cove and his boat was off, and he gets detained for possibly boating while intoxicated,” Bassett said.
“Well, first of all he wasn’t boating. He was on a boat, but he wasn’t boating. So I’m pretty confident about that case, whatever we have to do to get it cleared.”
Benson’s hearing on those charges is scheduled for June 30. Benson will not be required to appear at that hearing, Bassett said.
“This latest charge doesn’t change my mind about the first case, but it’s obviously not something we wanted to deal with,” Bassett said. “I’m not sure what it’s going to do to his status with the (Bears).
“But from a lawyer’s perspective, I’ve got to look at this new case and see what we can do about it and see if he was intoxicated. Everything should be on videotape. So that’s the good thing about this case, as opposed to the other one.”
Benson’s latest arrest could only complicate his relationship with the Chicago Bears, who selected him No. 4 overall in the 2005 NFL Draft. Benson was already under fire in Chicago from the media and Bears fans for his performance on the field. His arrests are likely to add to that.
“In the court of public opinion, this new thing is going to be a problem for him and we’re going to have to do everything we can to clear him,” Bassett said. “In the meantime, he’s got to deal with his team and the NFL and all that stuff.”
Benson rushed for 674 yards and just 3.4 yards per carry with four touchdowns before going on injured reserve in November. In three years with the Bears, Benson has rushed for 1,593 yards (3.8 yards per carry) and 10 touchdowns. He has missed 13 games.
Benson rushed for 5,540 yards and 64 touchdowns with a 5.0 yards per carry average at Texas, becoming the first back in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in four straight seasons. He is the school’s No. 2 all-time leading rusher behind Ricky Williams (6,279 yards).