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Michigan wide receiver Darryl Stonum pleads guilty to drunk driving charge

BY JILLIAN BERMAN AND COURTNEY RATKOWIAK
Daily News Editor and Managing Editor
Published February 19, 2009

Michigan freshman wide receiver Darryl Stonum pled guilty to a charge of operating a vehicle while visibly impaired yesterday in Ann Arbor's 15th District Court, according to court records.

Stonum was arrested on Sept. 28 at about 3:30 a.m., hours after Michigan’s comeback 27-25 win over Wisconsin the previous afternoon. State police pulled him over on State Street near campus, The Ann Arbor News reported. While passing through an intersection, his car was traveling at around 60 miles per hour and almost hit another vehicle, according to the News report.

Police administered a preliminary breath test at the scene, which found Stonum's blood alcohol content at .10, the News reported. Stonum was 18 at the time, and under Michigan’s zero tolerance law for minors, it is illegal for anyone under 21 to drive with a blood alcohol content of .02 or higher.

Following the incident, Michigan head football coach Rich Rodriguez suspended the freshman from the team's game against Illinois on Oct. 4. Rodriguez said he suspended Stonum for a “violation of team rules” but didn't offer any further reasoning for the punishment.

In Rodriguez’s weekly Big Ten teleconference on Nov. 4, the day of Stonum’s arraignment, Rodriguez said Stonum would not be disciplined further by the team following the one-game suspension. Stonum played against Toledo the next week but didn’t start.

Stonum started at wide receiver in the rest of the Wolverines’ 12 games last season. He finished the season with 14 catches for 176 yards and one touchdown.

Stonum's sentencing is scheduled for March 11. He could face up to 93 days in jail, $300 in fines and 360 hours of community service.