July 31, 2015 - Aaron Wilson
Suspended Jets DE Sheldon Richardson charged with resisting arrest
Suspended New York Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson was charged with resisting arrest after a July 14 incident where police say he was driving a car engaged in a high-speed road race near his home in St. Louis, the prosecuting attorney said Thursday in a statement.
A fully loaded semi-automatic weapon was found in the car, a 2014 Bentley, police said, and there was "a very strong odor of burned marijuana" emanating from the vehicle, the St. Charles County prosecuting attorney's office said in a statement posted to its website.
Richardson's car was traveling as fast as 143 mph, according to the statement, and police said a 12-year-old was among the passengers in his car.
The incident occurred only 12 days after Richardson received a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.
Reports of the arrest didn't surface until late Thursday, less than one hour after Richardson, commenting publicly for the first time on the suspension, vowed to stay clean.
"I'm not a dope fiend, man," Richardson said. "I apologized to my teammates and this organization. I told them they don't have to worry about my name being in the news again."
Richardson is scheduled to appear in St. Charles Circuit Court on October 27 for his arraignment.
The Jets didn't know about this for Richardson, an NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year two years ago and a Pro Bowl selection last season.
Jets coach Todd Bowles said the team will help Richardson "get help for his problem. .. It'll be a good lesson for him. I'm sure his parents are more disappointed than anybody, and he had to stand that. His actions will speak louder than his words going forward."
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Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun