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DT Doug Worthington (Official Thread)

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jimotis4heisman;1217295; said:
granted she was so plowed she continually rammed a parked car and claimed someone hit her as the cops watched her hit parked cars over and over.
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That would have to be one of the funniest things to see. Has JT addressed what has happened with Worthington yet?
 
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July 29, 2008

Of makes and models
One leftover thought from yesterday's Doug Worthington arrest stories....

I chose not to report the type of vehicle Worthington was driving -- a Cadillac Escalade -- because I thought it was irrelevant.

The man was charged with DUI, not DUI-SUVing.

I'm being facetious, but seriously, what does it matter? Whether he had been driving a white Ford Taurus or a black Chevy Malibu, it's not relevant.

To me, this is a case where the media can bias opinion by what they choose to report. All the sudden, the public wonders how Doug Worthington can afford such a nice car, and more suspicion gets cast on the guy.

Think of it this way: As journalists, we are supposed to answer basic questions in our stories -- who what where when how, etc.

I don't think the make of car Worthington was driving would be in the top three questions most people would have when they heard this story. I'm betting the first few questions were:

1. What was his blood-alcohol content?
2. What will Tressel do -- will he be suspended?
3. Has the guy been in trouble before?
4. Was anyone hurt?

Etc. and so on.

Unless we report what every player drives, I don't think throwing in the make and model is really fair to Worthington.

Posted by Ken Gordon on July 29, 2008
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Blogging the Buckeyes

Ohio State football: Does it matter what Doug Worthington was driving?
Posted by Doug Lesmerises July 29, 2008

Ken Gordon, one of the Ohio State reporters for the Columbus Dispatch, believes that the type of vehicle Doug Worthington was driving on Saturday morning when he was arrested and charged with DUI doesn't matter. He blogged about leaving the description of the car out of his story.

Does it matter what Worthington is driving?


Maybe. Maybe not. But if I knew what color shirt Worthington was wearing or what music he was listening to when he was driving, I probably would have written about that as well.

So when the police report includes the fact that he was driving a white 2004 Cadillac station wagon, and a check of the VIN number reveals that car to be an Escalade, I'll include that fact.

I agree that the only thing that really matters is the DUI charge. Whenever you're dealing with drunk driving, it's a serious matter, and everything else may seem trivial by comparison. But do you think the make of the vehicle should have been mentioned?

I did not include Worthington's license plate, which was also mentioned in the report. But I will say it's a vanity plate that includes his jersey number, 84, so at least he wasn't worried about keeping quiet what kind of vehicle he's driving.

It's also true the plates on Worthington's vehicle did not match his registration. This is a fact that escaped me in my original story, but has since caused some chatter. What exactly does that mean?

Not that much, according to Richard Morman, the deputy chief of police for the OSU campus police. He said that Worthington had recently purchased the Escalade (which goes for about $20,000 to $24,000 according to the Kelley Blue Book). According to Morman, the dealer put his old plates, from what Morman said was a GMC sports utility vehicle, on the Escalade and told Worthington to make sure the plates were properly transferred. He did not do that, so he was cited for it, along with speeding and drunken driving.

Two other details to clear up from my story this morning:

? According to Morman, Worthington's blood alcohol content was .095. The charge he faces indicated it had to fall between .08 (the legal limit) and .17.

? Though the intersection cited on the police report was Cannon Drive and Woody Hayes Drive, which is right in front of Ohio Stadium, Morman said Worthington was actually stopped on Woody Hayes Drive on the other side of the Olentangy River, near the intersection of Kenny Drive, though he had driven past the stadium as he headed west.

Finally, Worthington is scheduled to appear in court at 10 a.m. on Thursday morning.
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Ohio State football: Does it matter what Doug Worthington was driving? - Cleveland Sports News ?€“ The Latest Breaking News, Game Recaps and Scores from The Plain Dealer
 
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Electron Boy;1219604; said:
uh, someone correct me if i'm wrong, but since he was underage and there was obviously alcohol in his system, doesn't "not guilty" seem like a pretty weird plea?

i mean, unless he's arguing a faulty test or something, i guess.
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"Not guilty" does not mean innocent, it just means that he and his legal team believe there may be a discrepancy with one or more of the charges. Also, entering a not guilty plea enables him time to voluntary seek a substance/counseling program, which should mitigate jail time when his sentence is handed down. I'm sure he doesn't want to spend the first 10 days of fall ball behind bars.
 
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Electron Boy;1219604; said:
uh, someone correct me if i'm wrong, but since he was underage and there was obviously alcohol in his system, doesn't "not guilty" seem like a pretty weird plea?

i mean, unless he's arguing a faulty test or something, i guess.
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He could be contesting the other charges, such as the car registration charge, not the DUI. Plus this gives him time to get a deal done with his lawyers and the state attorney's. Maybe get it dropped to a lesser charge, but he would be guilty no matter what for "underage drinking."
 
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Electron Boy;1219604; said:
uh, someone correct me if i'm wrong, but since he was underage and there was obviously alcohol in his system, doesn't "not guilty" seem like a pretty weird plea?

i mean, unless he's arguing a faulty test or something, i guess.
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I don't know how bad .095 is (I'm clueless when it comes to blood levels) but I've heard of some bizarre cases of people getting off. A lot of times I hear of underage kids stating the alcohol they blew came from other sources, such as scope. That's only if the blood level is low of course. In any event, getting pulled over near 4 in the A.M. doesn't help his case, if Doug is pleading not guilty to the DUI.
 
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Electron Boy;1219604; said:
uh, someone correct me if i'm wrong, but since he was underage and there was obviously alcohol in his system, doesn't "not guilty" seem like a pretty weird plea?

i mean, unless he's arguing a faulty test or something, i guess.
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As with everything in the court system, there's a process that has to play out.

And usually the only time a defendant puts in a guilty plea at this point in a misdemeanor case, is if there is a chance the case could be upgraded to a felony.
(Which in this case - not even close.)

As Dryden said, this will give Doug time to get into a program and also the negotiations can now begin between the Prosecutor and Doug's attorney.
 
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You always plead not guilty at arraignment. Take a look at the evidence before you roll over. Check out the BAC machine, records, etc... for accuracy. (there are discrepancies - I've seen them - cases can get dismissed).

Also, as stated before, he should get himself enrolled in alcohol counseling already. Mitigation, of course.

At the end of the day, if he is convicted, his sentence is simple:

1. Minimum mandatory fine.

2. 6-month license suspension.

3. Suspended jail.

4. 72-hour Driver's Intervention Program.

Almost every first-time OVI case is treated that way.
 
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Tressel offered no more insight into the status of defensive tackle Doug Worthington, recently arrested and charged with a DUI, and cornerback Donald Washington, still rumored to be facing a possible suspension for an off-field issue in the spring. Worthington suffered no obvious demotion on the depth chart, as he was lining up with the top four tackles during drills.
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Ohio State football: Terry at fullback fulltime - Buckeye Blog by The Plain Dealer's Doug Lesmerises - cleveland.com
 
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