December 23rd, 2009
Busted Longhorn pled ‘I play football’

by SEAN KIMMONS

The dashboard police footage of University of Texas Longhorn running back D.J. Monroe’s driving while intoxicated arrest early Nov. 15 reveals him swerving along IH-35 and failing a sobriety test.

After his arrest, he vomits in the back of a patrol car and blames his stupor on a concussion that he said he suffered in the Baylor game.

A three-game suspension later, Monroe was reinstated on Monday and will be able to play in the Citi BCS National Championship game on Jan. 7 against Alabama after his DWI charge was dropped.

Monroe accepted a plea agreement Dec. 18 for a lesser charge of obstruction of a passageway with deferred adjudication, Hays County District Attorney Sherri Tibbe said.

On Tuesday, the district attorney’s office released an hour-long video to the Hays Free Press of the 20-year-old freshman being pulled over around 1 a.m. just south of exit 217 on IH-35 between Buda and Kyle.

The video shows Monroe veering in and out of lanes in a silver 1996 Buick Park Avenue while being followed by a Hays County Sheriff’s Office patrol car.

Once pulled over, Deputy Manuel Delarosa initiated a sobriety test to a confused, stumbling Monroe, who initially said that he had not been drinking.

Delarosa then asked Monroe if he was required to wear glasses to drive. Monroe replied that he wears sports lenses, while noting his status as a sports star.

“I play football for UT,” Monroe said.

“I didn’t ask you that,” Delarosa replied.

A staggering Monroe then attempted to walk a straight line. He also had trouble understanding many of the deputy’s commands.

“Are you deaf?” Delarosa asked.

“No sir,” Monroe said.

“OK. I was just making sure,” Delarosa said.

Monroe was then handcuffed and arrested.

“I thought I did everything right, sir,” Monroe said repeatedly.

“Is there anything I can do?” Monroe asked, adding: “I play for the University of Texas.”

Monroe told the deputy that he had recently taken painkillers.

“The only thing I took was Tylenol PM because I got a concussion during the Baylor game,” he said.

Delarosa asked: “What about the odor of alcoholic beverage coming from your breath?”

Monroe then admitted that he drank a double shot of vodka before he was placed in the back of the patrol car.

As Delarosa searched Monroe’s vehicle, Monroe mumbled incoherent sentences and later refused a breathalyzer test.

Minutes later, Monroe leaned over and vomited. The deputy then helped him out of the car to finish.

“Mr. Monroe, sit up for me,” Delarosa said. “Don’t puke in my car … You got vomit on yourself.”

When he was placed back into the patrol car, Monroe said: “This is so embarrassing.”

Monroe was taken to the Hays County Jail, where he was released the same day on a $3,000 bond. The Longhorns immediately suspended Monroe indefinitely following the incident.

This season, Monroe has 20 rushes for 110 yards and 13 kickoff returns for 474 yards and two touchdowns for the Longhorns. He is the only player in school history to return two kickoffs for TDs in a season, according to the university website.

Sean Kimmons is senior reporter at the Hays Free Press where this story was originally published. It is reprinted here through a news partnership with the San Marcos Mercury.

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