Athletes face DUI, alcohol-related charges
January 22, 2008 by JASON BUTT
Filed under News
Two Georgia football players will miss the home opener against Georgia Southern after they were arrested early Sunday and charged with separate alcohol-related incidents.
Head coach Mark Richt gave both redshirt sophomore defensive back Donovan Baldwin and Redshirt freshman Fred Munzenmaier community service assignments.
“They know better and I’m disappointed in both of them,” Richt said in a news release. “They will have to pay a price, but it’s unfortunate the rest of the team will also have to suffer for their poor judgment.”
According to an Athens-Clarke County Police report:
Munzenmaier was arrested at 3:39 a.m. Sunday and charged with underage consumption of alcohol and pedestrian walking on the road.
The officer noticed a white male step into the road at the intersection of Milledge Avenue and Dearing Street and began to wave his arms.
The officer slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting the pedestrian. As the officer talked to the pedestrian, who was identified as Munzenmaier, the officer smelled “a strong presence of alcoholic beverages.”
Munzenmaier told the officer he thought the police car was a taxi and tried to flag it down. The officer searched Munzenmaier, and afterwards he “thanked me for ‘costing him two games,’” the officer wrote. He asked what sport Munzenmaier played.
“‘Look at me,’” Munzenmaier replied, according to the police report. “‘What sport do you think I play?’”
On the way to the Athens-Clarke County Jail, Munzenmaier told the officer it was “obvious ‘we have it out for them.’”
Munzenmaier expressed concern about “a point system that the police have apparently against athletes.”
Munzenmaier told the officer to “shut up” and used an expletive because “he didn’t want to make small talk.”
Baldwin was arrested at 3:05 a.m. by University Police and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and improper driving.
The police report detailing Baldwin’s arrest was unavailable Monday afternoon because the University Police’s administrative office was closed for the holiday.
Munzenmaier was released at 6:04 a.m. Sunday with $750 bond. Baldwin
was released at 5:59 a.m. Sunday with $2,000 bond.
In 2007, Baldwin played in eight games, mostly on special teams, and Munzenmaier played in nine.
