Update: As expected, cops in Ross Township outside of Pittsburgh have charged Steelers running backs Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount with marijuana possession for a three-quarter ounce bag of herb found in their car earlier this week after the pair were caught smoking up in traffic. Bell has also been charged with driving under the influence of marijuana. In Pennsylvania, it’s illegal to have any THC metabolites in your system when driving a car.
A third person in the car, 21-year-old Mercedes Dollson, was also charged with pot possession. Cops noted that all three were cooperative and polite, which you kind of have to be when a motorcycle cop pulls up next to you when you’ve got a lit joint going around the car.
Original story, 8/21/2014 9:20 a.m. – Hot tip for those of you who do fantasy football: don’t expect Le’Veon Bell and LaGarrette Blount to play a full season.
The pair was busted yesterday in a Pittsburgh suburb allegedly smoking herb in traffic with the windows of the Camaro they were driving open with a motorcycle cop behind them.
Apparently the cop smelled the herb and was able to weave up through traffic to pull over the Camaro at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. When stopped, the pair – along with an unidentified woman – allegedly fessed-up to the 20-gram bag of herb sitting on the center console. Cops didn’t arrest them at the scene, but Bell was taken to a nearby hospital to have blood drawn so cops can charge him with driving under the influence of marijuana.
Cops also plan on charging them all with possession of herb by mail.
“No one has been charged yet. The case is still being investigated,” Ross Township Police Detective Brian Kohlhepp told the local CBS News affiliate. “However, we do anticipate charges of possession against all three individuals. And in addition to that, we took Mr. Bell to UPMC Passavant for blood draw for suspicion of DUI for driving under the influence of marijuana.”
The Steelers, who were expecting to travel with Bell and Blount to Philadelphia yesterday afternoon, did not have any comment.
The NFL has had a no-tolerance policy for marijuana and have cracked down in recent years, suspending players for four to six games on average for violations. Several activists groups, notably the Marijuana Policy Project, have urged the NFL to drop their penalties against marijuana-using players in recent years.
Marijuana possession of 30 grams or less is a misdemeanor in Pennsylvania, with up to 30 days in jail and $500 in fines. Conviction of possession also means giving up your driver’s license for six months, though Bell could lose his for much longer if charged with the DUI.