Georgia wide receiver Nitro Tuggle was arrested on March 19 for misdemeanor speeding and reckless driving.
Now, details of the incident are emerging, including his triple-digit speed at the time of the arrest.
A police report from the Athens-Clarke Police Department states that Tuggle was driving a 2021 Dodge Charger at 107 mph – 42 mph over the posted speed limit.
His girlfriend was in the car at the time.
When pulled over, Tuggle stopped in the right lane instead of the shoulder, despite other vehicles being on the road. He also failed to put the car in park, according to the report.
“I instructed Tuggle to exit the vehicle, at which point he nearly exited without placing the vehicle in park,” the report stated.
“Due to his reckless disregard for the safety of others – including himself, his passenger, other motorists, and myself – by operating the vehicle at a speed 42 mph over the limit and exceeding triple-digit speeds, I placed him under arrest.”
Tuggle, a rising sophomore, was taken to Athens-Clarke County Jail at 1:56 a.m. ET on March 20 and released an hour later after posting a $20 cash bond, per records.
Following the arrest, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart announced that Tuggle had been suspended indefinitely, along with offensive lineman Marques Easley, who was involved in a separate incident on March 17.
Addressing the situation at a press conference Tuesday, Smart expressed his frustration over the reoccurring road issues that continue to haunt the program.
“Yeah, disappointed, obviously, in those two young men and the decision-making process for each one,” Smart said. “Both of them are younger players and have made crucial mistakes.
“As far as the process we followed, it’s not been several months, it’s been several years in terms of defensive driving courses, having players ride and learning how to drive, just like my two kids did, with a driver’s service. Josh Brooks has done a tremendous job meeting with every player.”
Smart emphasized that Georgia has prioritized driver education, noting that many players arrive on campus without a license.
“We’ve had several speakers come in and we continue to educate, and we’re not gonna stop at that,” Smart added.
“It’s very unfortunate that one of those young men got his driver’s license within one month of that happening, at 18 or 19 years old. It’s amazing how many kids come to school without a driver’s license.
“It’s no excuse, but one of those things we will continue to educate and discipline our guys to try to correct it.”
With Georgia facing repeated issues with reckless driving, the program is once again under scrutiny as Smart works to address the problem.
Smart keeps talking about all the steps the program’s taking to fix the issue, but clearly something is not working because it keeps on happening.
What does Kirby need to do to put an end to this problem once and for all???
