The Collegian
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Athletic directors talk about reinstatement of Speros

University of Richmond football coach Danny Rocco has reinstated Jimmy Speros to the practice squad even though the junior offensive lineman is facing felony hit-and-run charges for a Feb. 25 car accident.

Speros was initially suspended from the team. While the athletics department's student athlete code of conduct says the decision to reinstate an athlete facing a felony charge can only be made by the athletic director, it is unclear who made this decision.

"I made the decision, so I feel good about it," Rocco said. "Like any decision made within any department, it's always made with the consideration of department heads, personnel and staff within that department."

Assistant athletic director for communications Bob Black wrote in an email: "Per Athletic Department policy, [Jimmy] Speros was suspended indefinitely by the Athletic Director from all team activities shortly after his accident on February 25, 2012. As of Thursday, March 22, Athletic Director Jim Miller reinstated [Speros] for spring practice only at this time. [Speros's] future eligibility status has not yet been determined as well as any final disciplinary action. [Speros's] situation is being monitored on a daily basis."

"We just reviewed the facts of the matter and that it was warranted that he be allowed to practice, but not represent the university off-campus," Athletic director Jim Miller said Tuesday afternoon. "We continue to look at it, talk to different folks, the deans of the colleges and continue take a look at it and see if it's the right thing to do. It's not a prediction of how things will turn out."

Representatives from university President Edward Ayers's office said he was out of town and unavailable for comment. University Provost Steve Allred said he did not have a comment.

Rocco said, "[Speros] was reinstated to the practice squad on Thursday, March 22, and he's been cleared to do all on-campus activities, and his status for competition will be determined at a later date."

Police say Speros was driving a pick-up truck on the evening of Saturday, Feb. 25, when it ran into an SUV. Speros left the scene. Multiple people suffered minor injuries in the accident. Although a warrant was sent out for his arrest early on that Sunday morning, Speros was not arrested until Wednesday afternoon on campus. Campus police made the arrest, according to the warrant.

"As soon as we were able to verify that there was an actual warrant, we served it," University of Richmond Police Department Captain Beth Simonds said of the delay. "We didn't actually know about it until the day it got served. The city may have called over here to check if he was here, or one of our officers saw it and served it."

A total of five people have been subpoenaed as witnesses in the case: Brandon Scott, of the city of Richmond, junior Christopher Speros of the university, junior Mark Speir of the university, Ryan Galloway, of the city of Richmond and Maribeth Turner of the city of Richmond. The trial is set for 9:30 a.m. on June 11.

Christopher Speros said, "No comment," regarding the case.

Scott, Christopher Speros and Speir all play on Richmond's football team with Jimmy Speros. Speir was one of two passengers in Speros's truck at the time of the accident. Police have not released the second passenger's name because it is part of the ongoing investigation, Dionne Waugh of the Public Affairs Unit of the Richmond Police Department said in an earlier interview.

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Contact reporter Amanda Minnitte at amanda.minnitte@richmond.edu

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