Seattle Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman could face felony charges after police claimed he smoked synthetic marijuana and then got into a hit-and-run crash which resulted in a serious injury to another driver, reports the Seattle Times.
Coleman isn’t the first athlete who’s had bizarre or criminal activities linked to synthetic marijuana. It’s the same thing New England Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones was allegedly on when he walked in a police station and asked for medical treatment. It’s also reportedly what caused Ole Miss defensive tackle Robert Nkemdich to become paranoid and jump out a hotel window.
The initial police report described Coleman as “calm and cooperative” after the crash. Here’s how the crash is described by the Times.
Witnesses told police that Coleman was traveling about 60 mph in a 35 mph zone. Witnesses say Coleman swerved his truck into the center two-way left turn lane and swerved back, striking the rear of another car, the police report said.
Witnesses spoke to Coleman after the crash, describing him as “delirious and aggravated,” the report said. Another witness said he was “incoherent,” police said. Witnesses helped Coleman from the car, but he left the scene barefoot, police said. Officers caught up with him about two blocks away about 20 minutes after the crash.
Officers found a lighter, a glass spoon pipe with tarry residue, an opened bag of synthetic cannabinoid and three unopened bags of the same product. Coleman admitted he used spice, which is a synthetic product said to mimic marijuana.
Coleman’s lawyer said his client didn’t take an illegal substance, and that the spice didn’t impact his ability to drive, calling it “an over-the-counter substance.”
“I have seen the test results and I can be absolutely confident that there was nothing in his blood that would have impaired his ability to drive. … Our position is that he wasn’t driving recklessly and that he didn’t commit either of these offenses.’’
On Monday police recommended Coleman be charged with a felony hit-and-run and vehicular assault.
[Deadspin]
