FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema suspended freshman C.J. O'Grady indefinitely on Friday after the tight end's early morning arrest for driving while intoxicated.
O'Grady, 18, was charged with DWI and other offenses after being pulled over on his scooter near campus and was released from the Washington County jail after posting a $1,265 bond. His arrest occurred at 1:58 a.m. at the corner of Garland and Eagle by Fayetteville Police, who spotted him driving without an operational tail light.
After a sobriety test was performed on the scene, O'Grady was arrested and charged with DWI, being a minor in possession of alcohol, no tail light on his scooter and no liability insurance. O'Grady, whose full first name is Cheyenne, faces a hearing date Sept. 28.
"Based on the information available at this time, we have suspended C.J. O'Grady indefinitely from our program effective immediately," Bielema said in a statement released through the university. "We all can make mistakes, and I hope C.J. uses this as a learning experience and an opportunity to grow.
"We have addressed the issue, and our team focus will remain on preparing for the season opener."
O'Grady had "blood shot red watery eyes and the odor of intoxicants coming from his breath" as well as slurred speech, according to the arrest report. After arriving at the Washington County sheriff's office, O'Grady tested with a .099 percent alcohol level at 2:47 a.m. on a breath test, the report said.
O'Grady's arrest is the second for a player signed by Coach Bret Bielema's staff. Defensive end Tevin Beanum was arrested Feb. 22 and charged with DWI and being a minor in possession.
Bielema took Beanum's driving privileges away for a short period of time with the blessing of the player's mother, Sandra Angelucci.
Bielema said Thursday that he anticipated O'Grady and Will Gragg, two of the standouts in Arkansas' No. 1-rated tight end signing class, would redshirt this season.
O'Grady, 6-4, 240 pounds, graduated from Fayetteville High School and was a first-team member of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's All-Arkansas Preps football team last season. He had 86 receptions for 1,659 yards and 18 touchdowns in two seasons with the Bulldogs.
Three Arkansas football players have been arrested since Bielema's arrival Dec. 5, 2012, including Austin Flynn, who was signed by Bobby Petrino's staff and was dismissed by Bielema before spring drills of 2013.
Sports on 08/29/2015