The Collegian
Friday, March 29, 2024

Williams' arrest preceded departure from basketball team

In the early morning hours of Oct. 21, 2013, Officer Sgt. Scott Seitz stopped a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix on Route 1 in South Plainsboro, N.J., for speeding at 71 mph in a 55 mph zone. After the initial stop at 3:40 a.m., Seitz arrested the driver, Richmond basketball senior Derrick Williams after, according to a press release from the Plainsboro Township Police Department, an "investigation revealed him to be in possession of marijuana."

According to the press release, Williams was processed at the Plainsboro Township Police Department, and then released Oct. 23, after being charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and speeding.

"A student-athlete charged with a criminal offense will be immediately suspended from intercollegiate athletic participation and will only be reinstated following a review and determination by the Director of Athletics, Sport Administrator and Head Coach," according to Richmond's department of athletics policy.

Jan. 8, 2014, Williams was found not guilty in court, according to a court clerk in Camden, N.J.

Despite the arrest, Williams played throughout the season, and played 16 minutes in his last game against Virginia Commonwealth University Feb. 1 at the Siegel Center in Richmond, Va.

Feb. 3, head coach Chris Mooney announced Williams' departure from the team for personal reasons. In a statement released by the athletic department, Mooney thanked Williams for his contributions to the program and wished him luck in his future endeavors.

In a Richmond Times-Dispatch article released Feb. 4, Mooney said he intended to support Williams in his goal to graduate from Richmond. Mooney also said Williams' decision was not related to a family emergency or a legal issue.

Williams had no comment on the arrest. He said he was still enrolled and attending classes at Richmond and plans to graduate in May.

At the time this article was posted, The Collegian was still awaiting a response from the Richmond Athletic Department.

Contact contributor Lauren Shute at lauren.shute@richmond.edu

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