Nicholson Charged with DUI in 2017
December 21, 2018
by Steve Thomas
Fox 5 DC first reported yesterday that Redskins safety Montae Nicholson admitted to investigators during his arrest earlier this week that he had previously been arrested in Pennsylvania on a suspicion of DUI.
The Hog Sty has obtained information related to the DUI incident. Nicholson was arrested in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, in connection with an incident that occurred on January 1, 2017, and charged with (1) driving under the influence of a schedule 2 or 3 substance under Pennsylvania law, and (2) driving under the influence of a combination of alcohol and drugs. Both charges were misdemeanors. He was also charged with disregarding a traffic signal, prohibited text-based communications, and careless driving, which were each minor traffic offenses.
A schedule 2 substance is defined in Pennsylvania as the following: “opium and opiate”, a “salt compound” or derivative, opium poppy, “coca leaves and a salt, compound, derivative, or preparation of coca leaves”, which includes morphine, PCP, cocaine, methadone, and methamphetamine. A schedule 3 substance in Pennsylvania can include such drugs as Tylenol, Codeine, Ketamine, Benzphetamine, anabolic steroids, and Phendimetrazine.
The Hog Sty does not have any information as to the specific substance or substances for which the state of Pennsylvania charged Nicholson for driving under the influence of, or the level of alleged intoxication.
Nicholson was placed in a program called Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, which is a pretrial diversion program. Typically, a pretrial diversion program includes some form of community service, educational program(s), and a fine, and if the program is completed, charges are usually expunged from the person’s record. Nicholson’s specific program appears to have been a six month program, although details are not available. He has paid a total of $1,743 in fees. In this case, County records currently show that the last hearing for this case was on July 12, 2017; however, the County still shows the status of the pretrial diversion program as “awaiting completion”.
The Hog Sty has no information as to Nicholson’s status, or lack thereof, under the NFL’s drugs of abuse policy as a result of this matter. A player is typically entered into stage 1 of the program for any incident involving a substance covered under the policy, but such entry is confidential and not available publicly.
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Update:
Nicholson’s initial hearing on his arrest earlier this week is scheduled for February 6, 2019. The charges are listed as misdemeanor assault and public intoxication, also a misdemeanor.