Ray Maualuga arrested for DUI

[tomahawk247]

Bengals SLB Rey Maualuga was arrested Friday morning in Northern Kentucky for DUI and careless driving.

The incident occurred shortly after 3:00 a.m. in Covington, KY. Maualuga is scheduled for a video arraignment in Kenton County District Court Friday afternoon. The 23-year-old is still recovering from a late-season fractured ankle.

As if anyone had any doubt about Devaney and Spags picking the right guy in James Laurinaitis over Ray Maualuga anyway, but this and Son of Animal's performance as rookie shows they made the right choice

[general counsel]

What was he doing driving a 2003 pontiac?

Ramming speed to all

general counsel

[laram0]

What was he doing driving a 2003 pontiac?

Ramming speed to all

general counsel

Probably stole it!

[BrokenWing]

I think in his contract somewhere it says to remain a Bengal he has to get arrested at least once after his first year. So really he's just fulfilling a contract obligation.

[Fettmaster]

I think in his contract somewhere it says to remain a Bengal he has to get arrested at least once after his first year. So really he's just fulfilling a contract obligation.

I lol'd.

Let the Laurinaitis-Maualuga debate officially end now.

[r8rh8rmike]

What a surprise, trouble finds Rey Rey. Add this to the list.

I agree with tomahawk, great move by Spags and Devaney to take a big pass on this guy and take the superior player, and superior person.

I think in his contract somewhere it says to remain a Bengal he has to get arrested at least once after his first year. So really he's just fulfilling a contract obligation.

Hilarious and rep worthy.

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

The way he disrespected Erin Andrews on national tv let me know how much growing up that guy has to do. VERY glad we passed on him. Not only was he not better than Laurinitis, but he's proved he wasn't even the best LB on USC's squad.

[Trevor]

I think in his contract somewhere it says to remain a Bengal he has to get arrested at least once after his first year. So really he's just fulfilling a contract obligation.

LMAO!! Funniest thing I've heard! How many Bengal's players have been arrested the past 10 years? I remember one year they had like 4 players in 1 year with trouble.. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[jkramsfan]

What was he doing driving a 2003 pontiac?

Ramming speed to all

general counsel

now thats funny

[jkramsfan]

Probably stole it!

and thats funny to

[jkramsfan]

As if anyone had any doubt about Devaney and Spags picking the right guy in James Laurinaitis over Ray Maualuga anyway, but this and Son of Animal's performance as rookie shows they made the right choice

I think there was only a few guys who really wanted this guy over Laurinatis,you could tell Maualuga was a punk after that little stunt he pulled with Erin Andrews at the USC game. I am not surprised at all that he is in trouble already.

[tomahawk247]

Its also being reported that when he was pulled over for the DUI he had two girls in the car with him, one 17 years old and one 18

There is talk of him being charged for providing alcohol to minors

[jmk321]

The way he disrespected Erin Andrews on national tv let me know how much growing up that guy has to do. VERY glad we passed on him. Not only was he not better than Laurinitis, but he's proved he wasn't even the best LB on USC's squad.

I thought the Erin Andrews thing seemed pretty harmless. It was the reports that he had to be watched by his fellow USC linebackers off the field to keep him in check that scared me mostly.

I don't see how this happened though with veterans like Tank Johnson on the team to guide him in the right direction.

[RebelYell]

This is one of those weird situations where maybe you can look at the Rams and think, just maybe, things have begun turning themselves around. Just maybe.

[Nick]

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga pleads guilty to DUI charge
Enquirer staff report
February 2, 2010

COVINGTON - Cincinnati Bengals rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga pleaded guilty to drunken driving Tuesday morning in Kenton District Court, four days after he was arrested in Covington.

Police arrested Maualuga early Friday on charges of drunken driving and careless driving after he struck two parked cars and a parking meter on Scott Street.

Though he was not scheduled to appear in court until Feb. 25, Maualuga’s attorney, W. Robert Lotz, requested that his plea be added to the docket Tuesday morning.

District Judge Ken Easterling sentenced Maualuga to seven days in jail, discharged on the condition that he have no more offenses for two years and that he pay for any damage not covered by insurance, said Kenton County Chief Prosecutor Charles Vaughn.

Maualuga will also have to pay $859 in fines and fees and his license will be suspended for 90 days. Easterling seized his license at the hearing.

“He wanted to get it done before he goes to the NFL,” Vaughn said. “I think he goes to the NFL tomorrow to meet with them.”

The maximum sentence Maualuga could have faced was 30 days in jail and a suspended license for 120 days. Vaughn said he made the offer of the seven days in jail to Maualuga’s attorney on Monday.

The county attorney’s office’s standard sentence recommendation for a first-time DUI is seven days conditionally discharged and a $200 fine, Vaughn said.

“The fine on this was raised because of the accident,” Vaughn said.

In a statement released after the hearing, Maualuga apologized for “making a terrible decision to drive under the influence.”

The statement continued: “I wanted to acknowledge fault quickly and accept the consequences for my actions, which are the same that anyone else facing these charges would receive. I’m thankful to have the legal implications resolved this morning so I can begin to move on and make positive changes in my life. I know it’s going to be hard to believe in me, but I will do everything in my power to gain your trust back and I promise to learn from this.”

The arrest came after Covington police were called to an accident at 634 Scott St. about 1:45 a.m. Friday. The accident was near the Mad Hatter bar at 630 Scott St.

A 2003 Pontiac Sunfire driven by Maualuga had crossed two lanes of Scott and crashed into two parked cars and a parking meter, according to a Covington Police report.

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 the report. The legal limit is .08.

Two women were with Maualuga, a 17-year-old and 18-year-old Chelsea Fauver, of Fairfield, Ohio, according the report. The 17-year-old owned the Sunfire Maualuga was driving, but she was not in the car. Fauver was a passenger in the car.

According to the report, Fauver got out of the car while it was moving “due to the level of intoxication of …(the) driver.”

Fauver told police that she urged Maualuga not to drive, the report stated. Fauver is a senior at Fairfield High School, according to her Facebook page.

Maualuga’s arrest puts him up for possible discipline under the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Since it is 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.

Joe Reedy contributed to this report.



Additional Facts

Maualuga's statement

“I sincerely apologize for letting everyone down and making a terrible decision to drive under the influence. I wanted to acknowledge fault quickly and accept the consequences for my actions, which are the same that anyone else facing these charges would receive,” he said in the statement.

“I’m thankful to have the legal implications resolved this morning so I can begin to move on and make positive changes in my life. I know it’s going to be hard to believe in me, but I will do everything in my power to gain your trust back and I promise to learn from this. I’m truly sorry for the humiliation and embarrassment I’ve caused myself, my family, the Bengals organization and this great city of Cincinnati.

"I’d like to thank the entire Bengals organization, my teammates, family, friends and all the fans for the outpouring of support I’ve received since this incident took place.”