Clemson University All-American wide receiver Sammy Watkins was arrested early Friday and charged with simple possession of a controlled substance after a Clemson University police officer pulled the sophomore player over for scraping a curb and driving without a license plate tag light, according to the Clemson University police department report.
As the officer approached the car, he noticed that the windows were tinted. When he reached to knock on the windows, the driver, Watkins, rolled down the window. It was then that the officer said that he smelled marijuana. Another officer arrived on the scene and confirmed the smell. Watkins and his passenger, Amadou-Tidiane Daniel Dia, were then asked to step out of the Cadillac.
When police asked Watkins why the car smelled like marijuana, he reportedly said, “No. I just got the car not long ago.” The receiver then consented to have both the car and his person searched.
During the search, officers found what they believed to be a bag of marijuana and two prescription drugs, adderal and vyavanse, on the football player.
The report notes that officers also found a baggie on Dia, a Clemson soccer player, and a marijuana blunt in the car. Watkins told officer that he did not have prescriptions for the two amphetamines. The two men were taken to jail.
They were released Friday morning, with Watkins on a $1,620 personal recognizance bond, and a Dia on a $620 personal recognizance bond.
The Cadillac had a temporary tag from Florida. Sammy Watkins is an 18 year old communication studies major from Fort Meyers, Fla.
Both men are charged with misdemeanors.
According to SBNation, both Clemson University football coach Dabo Swinney and Watkins have released statements.
Swinney stood by his player, “I am aware of the arrest last night. I am mad and hurt by the poor decision that Sammy Watkins made,” the coach said. “He is a good young man who has been a model student, citizen, player and teammate. This is a reminder that good people make poor decisions. But, there are consequences for your actions … and there will be in this case. I am in the process of gathering the facts and discipline will be determined when I have completed that process.
Watkins, meanwhile, appeared ready to suffer the consequences, saying, “I made a mistake last night, and I am truly sorry for my actions. I let the team down, the coaches down and this University down. I will learn from this. I will accept any discipline Coach Swinney and the University issues.”
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