A football player who is a freshman at the University of Tennessee was recently arrested by Knoxville authorities. A police report indicates that the 18-year-old student was found on Interstate 40 early on a recent Sunday. He was reportedly running around the Interstate, and police officers said they had reason to believe he was guilty of public intoxication and underage drinking violations.

Shortly before 2 a.m., officers observed that he appeared to be unsteady on his feet. When officers approached him, they observed a strong alcohol odor and also took note of his slurred speech and bloodshot eyes. The student apparently told police that he was underage and that he had been drinking alcohol.

Court documents indicate that he was endangering himself and others. He was arrested for being intoxicated in public. Other charges included alcoholic beverage possession while underage and violations related to controlled access roadways. A spokesperson for the University of Tennessee said the matter will be addressed internally.

When Tennessee college students face criminal charges such as underage drinking, they may be concerned about the impact a conviction can have on their futures. Although being charged does not necessarily mean a conviction will be obtained, an accused student may benefit from retaining the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney. Defense counsel typically focuses on identifying legal issues and factual disputes to address before the court, in the form of pretrial motions to preclude specific evidentiary items, dismiss specified criminal charges and/or by contesting the formal accusations at trial.

Source: wjhl.com, “Freshman Vol arrested for public intoxication, underage drinking“, Sept. 1, 2015