The UAT arrest story is now out in the media

[quietfan 233]

Mobile Press-Register story:

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/mobilere...&thispage=2

Three players face charges in bar incident

Deaderick, Fanney and Upchurch arrested early Saturday morning, and investigation continues in credit card case against Tide basketball player Yamene Coleman

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

By THOMAS MURPHY

TUSCALOOSA -- The relatively long-term police blotter tranquility of the University of Alabama athletics department was disturbed during the past week with the arrests of four student-athletes.

The arrests of football players Brandon Deaderick, Brandon Fanney and Roy Upchurch early Saturday on misdemeanor charges following an incident outside a bar on The Strip are the first under new coach Nick Saban.

Clearly the public will eagerly await Saban's disciplinary actions in this issue, especially in light of the widely criticized course of action Mike Shula took last summer after the arrest of star linebacker Juwan Simpson on more serious drug and weapon charges.

Saban had not issued a statement on the arrests through the athletic department's media relations staff as of the close of business hours on Monday. The players were also not available for interviewing on Monday, said Corey Hoodjer of the media relations staff.

All three were arrested in the early morning hours Saturday after a disturbance outside The Legacy in the 1200 block of University Ave.

"The business was refusing entrance to several subjects (when the incident occured)," said Capt. Greg Kosloff, a spokesman for the Tuscaloosa Police Department.

Officers with Tuscaloosa police and the University of Alabama Police Department responded to the call. Deaderick, 19, [so Deaderick himself is underage--it's not just a case of underage girlfriends] was arrested by the TPD and charged with giving a false name to officers, resisting arrest and criminal mischief III.

The last of the offenses, Kosloff said, came after Deaderick was arrested and placed in a patrol car.

"He did a small amount of damage to a window inside the patrol car with his noggin," [How does one do a "small" amount of damage to glass? I mean, once it's broken, you have to replace the whole thing regardless. Isn't this sort of like being "a little bit" pregnant?] Kosloff said. "He was banging his head on the window."

Deaderick was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail at 7:49 a.m., posted his $1,500 bail and was released at 9:56 a.m.

Fanney, 21, and Upchurch, 22, were both arrested by UAPD officers and charged with disorderly conduct. Each of the players posted $300 bond.

Deaderick and Fanney are both redshirt sophomores on defense who are expected to have shots at cracking the playing rotation this fall.

Upchurch, a rising sophomore running back, ran 12 times for 37 yards and two touchdowns last season. Each of his first two seasons have met abrupt ends due to ankle surgeries.

Simpson's arrest on May 20, 2006, was the last involving a UA student-athlete prior to the arrest last Monday of basketball player Yamene Coleman on charges of illegal possession/fradulent use of a credit card.

Alabama basketball coach Mark Gottfried said Monday the investigation into Coleman's arrest was winding down, and that he still stands behind the 21-year-old sophomore out of Wilcox Central.

"Again, there's some things that still need to be determined," said Gottfried, who will leave with USA Basketball for the Pan-American Games in Brazil on Saturday. "I'm going to evaluate it when all the information is in hand.

"I do believe in him, (and) I think he's a great young guy. Young people make mistakes. We all do. At the proper time we'll figure out the right discipline for him."

Gottfried pointed out that Coleman's charges were based on the use of a debit card and not a credit card.

UA executive director of public relations Debbie Laine said Coleman's charges resulted from eight uses of a card for Domino's Pizza for less than $200.

Laine said university president Robert Witt was aware of the recent arrests.

She would not characterize university administration as "concerned" over the recent arrests of student-athletes.

"We encourage all of our students to make good decisions that are important to both their long-term and short-term well being," Laine said. "We've got a lot of student-athletes on the campus. No, there's not a concern."

[Ranger12 46]

rumor no more...

link

2 Tide players facing charges

Deaderick, Upchurch accused at nightclub

TUSCALOOSA (AP) — Two University of Alabama football players were free on bond Monday following their arrest on misdemeanor charges stemming from an altercation at a bar.

Jail records show defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick, 18, was released on $1,500 bond, and running back Roy Upchurch, 22, was freed on $300 bond.

Capt. Greg Kosloff, a spokesman for the Tuscaloosa Police Department, said Deaderick was charged with criminal mischief, resisting arrest and giving a false name.

"The owner was having problems with a group of men outside of a business," Kosloff told The Tuscaloosa News. "The group refused to leave. The gentleman who was arrested would not leave when he was asked to do so."

University police arrested Upchurch, officers said.

The incident occurred early Saturday in front of The Legacy, a bar in an area of nightclubs, restaurants and stores near The University of Alabama campus that is popular with students.

University spokeswoman Deborah Lane confirmed the arrests to The Tuscaloosa News and said the two football players, both sophomores, are enrolled in summer school.

Athletics spokesman Doug Walker said coach Nick Saban was told of the arrests, and team officials are still gathering information.

"We are still in a fact-finding situation currently," Walker said Sunday.

Deaderick is a 6-foot-4-inch, 271-pound defensive lineman from Elizabethtown, Ky. Upchurch is a 6-foot, 191-pound running back from Tallahassee, Fla.

[au9596 0]

As the first article above mentions it will be interesting to see Saban's reaction to this and what disciplinary action he takes. Does anyone recall how Saban has handled similar situations in the past with his players?

[quietfan 233]

Not that it matters, but just curious: The Mobile article says Deaderick is 19 while the Decatur article has him 18?

[BamaGrad03 0]

Not that it matters, but just curious: The Mobile article says Deaderick is 19 while the Decatur article has him 18?

Well he redshirted last year, so he'd have to be pretty young for his class to still be 18.

[TigerOne 1,152]

As the first article above mentions it will be interesting to see Saban's reaction to this and what disciplinary action he takes. Does anyone recall how Saban has handled similar situations in the past with his players?

I would be surprised if these guys ever set foot on the field this year or next if the story holds .

[sogaaufan 27]

I would expect these guys to be dead meat. Saban knows he has to show that there's a new sheriff in town and things will be different now. Saban will drop the hammer on these guys and Finebaum will praise him until the season starts.

[AU alum 2]

Did anybody notice the unfairness in the bonds set for different illegal acts?

In Georgia, when Caleb King was arrested:

King was charged with driving with a suspended license which carried a $1500.00 bond. He was also charged with driving down the wrong way on a one-way road. The second charge required a bond of $500.

In Alabama when the Alabama football players were arrested:

Deaderick was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail at 7:49 a.m., posted his $1,500 bail and was released at 9:56 a.m. (giving a false name to officers, resisting arrest and criminal mischief III) - this included hitting an officer and head-butting the rear windshield to a police car, and breaking it, requiring replacement

Fanney, 21, and Upchurch, 22, were both arrested by UAPD officers and charged with disorderly conduct. Each of the players posted $300 bond.

I mean, really, how is driving down the wrong way on a one-way street as bad as disorderly conduct and resisting arrest?

[Tiger1992 999]

I would expect these guys to be dead meat. Saban knows he has to show that there's a new sheriff in town and things will be different now. Saban will drop the hammer on these guys and Finebaum will praise him until the season starts he leaves Bama for his next job in 4 - 5 years.

I fixed your post.

[jared52 4,354]

I would expect these guys to be dead meat. Saban knows he has to show that there's a new sheriff in town and things will be different now. Saban will drop the hammer on these guys and Finebaum will praise him until the season starts he leaves Bama for his next job in 4 - 5 years 1-2 years.

I fixed your post.

I fixed yours.

[DKW 86 7,439]

That laughing you hear is coming from Athens, GA. The home of one Mark Richt.

[Ranger12 46]

Not that it matters, but just curious: The Mobile article says Deaderick is 19 while the Decatur article has him 18?

Well he redshirted last year, so he'd have to be pretty young for his class to still be 18.

Depends on when he was born. I was 18 when I started my sophomore year. Because my birthday is in September, I actually started college as a freshman when I was 17. So, it is possible for him to be in going into his second year of college and still be only 18, especially seeing how this is just July and the school year has not started yet. But, it really does not matter because he was still underage either way.

It does not surprise me a bit about the bail being so low for criminal acts that normally would warrant more for everybody else. The Tuscaloosa PD is not exactly a model of integrity.

[AUChizad 0]

It has been reported that the fake name Deidrick gave was "Thomas Crown"

Think he was trying to pass himself off as Steve McQueen or Pierce Brosnan?

My guess is he was referencing Timbaland's alias and assumed the cops weren't hip-hop fans, failing to realize the nickname was a reference to the films.

[BamaGrad03 0]

Yeah, and like people in Tuscaloosa can't spot 5 Bama football players.

Everyone knows who these guys are.

[runswithscissors 33]

Did anybody notice the unfairness in the bonds set for different illegal acts?

In Georgia, when Caleb King was arrested:

King was charged with driving with a suspended license which carried a $1500.00 bond. He was also charged with driving down the wrong way on a one-way road. The second charge required a bond of $500.

In Alabama when the Alabama football players were arrested:

Deaderick was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail at 7:49 a.m., posted his $1,500 bail and was released at 9:56 a.m. (giving a false name to officers, resisting arrest and criminal mischief III) - this included hitting an officer and head-butting the rear windshield to a police car, and breaking it, requiring replacement

Fanney, 21, and Upchurch, 22, were both arrested by UAPD officers and charged with disorderly conduct. Each of the players posted $300 bond.

I mean, really, how is driving down the wrong way on a one-way street as bad as disorderly conduct and resisting arrest?

different states have different statutes. disorderly conduct and public intox are fairly easy to get really, hence the low bonds. those are pretty much P.O.P. (pissin off the police) charges, but if everything that we've heard holds true, Upchurch and Fanney actually deserved it. i don't think Deaderick actually hit an officer, because then he would be looking at a felony. "resisting arrest" doesn't necessarily mean he hit the officer with his fist or an object.

[TexasTiger 12,998]

As the first article above mentions it will be interesting to see Saban's reaction to this and what disciplinary action he takes. Does anyone recall how Saban has handled similar situations in the past with his players?

He hired them a lawyer and bought 'em a beer.

[Weagle74 0]