Illinois football fans may have heard that Justin Blackmon, a wide receiver who is on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ suspended list, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor DUI charge on April 28. He was taken into custody on Dec. 21 in Oklahoma after authorities conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle for a brake light issue.
During the stop, authorities stated that an officer detected alcohol and asked if Blackmon and his passenger had been drinking. While Blackmon admitted to having two drinks at a bar, the officer reported that the pro football player had slurred speech and he failed a preliminary breath test. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8.
Blackmon has been taken into custody on several other occasions. He was first taken into custody in 2010 and again in 2012 when he was found to be driving under the influence. He was taken into custody in June 2014 when he was also stopped for a traffic violation. Blackmon has not practiced or played with the Jaguars since the 2013 season.
People who have received a DUI charge could potentially face serious consequences if convicted. In addition to a license suspension, they could be incarcerated and fined. As a result, they may want to seek legal help as soon as possible. There are a variety of strategies that a criminal defense attorney could employ in an attempt to combat the charges, including questioning whether there was probable cause to conduct the traffic stop or challenging the administration of the field sobriety or breath tests.
Source: ESPN, “Justin Blackmon pleads guilty to misdemeanor DUI“, April 28, 2016