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By Stephen J. Nesbitt, Daily Sports Editor
Published June 3, 2011
Michigan senior wide receiver Darryl Stonum pled guilty to operating while visibly impaired at a hearing this morning at Ann Arbor’s 15th District Court.
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Stonum, who was suspended from the Michigan football team by coach Brady Hoke after a second-offense DUI arrest on May 6, reached a plea agreement that dropped the charge of driving with a suspended license from his record.
Stonum's sentencing will be in a week — June 10 — where he could face up to a year in jail. As it currently stands, Stonum is out on $500 personal recognizance bond and must submit a breath test to the University's Department of Public Safety by 8:30 a.m. every day.
“Darryl made a poor decision that is unacceptable and won’t be tolerated,” Hoke said in a press statement on May 7. “He will be disciplined for behavior that is unbecoming of a Michigan football player.
“This is a serious situation, we are disappointed and any athletic department discipline will be handled internally. We will provide the appropriate support and counseling in order for him to learn and grow from this mistake.”
According to the Department of Public Safety, Stonum was arrested at 2:25 a.m. on May 6 after a traffic stop near State Street and William Street. According to reports, Stonum said in court this morning that a breath test at the police station revealed he had a blood-alcohol level of .11.
But the severity of the matter was heightened because this isn't the first time Stonum's come across legal trouble at Michigan.
His first arrest came on Sept. 28, 2008, just less than a month into his freshman year. Stonum was reportedly driving over 60 miles per hour down State Street. He could have faced up to 93 days in jail, $300 in fines and up to 360 hours of community service, but he was given 12 months of probation.
Then-coach Rich Rodriguez suspended the freshman for one game, while Hoke hasn't given a time frame for Stonum's return, other than saying that “if (Stonum) fulfills all of the commitments he has to the legal system and our program, we will make a determination regarding his return to the team.”
Stonum caught 49 passes for 633 yards and four touchdowns last year in a career season benefitting from Denard Robinson's breakout season at quarterback.
