Oakland Raider Heyward-Bey Charged with Drunken Driving

Oren Shiri – May 11, 2012

Oakland Raiders' wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, the seventh pick in the 2009 NFL draft, was charged on Thursday with driving under the influence of alcohol following a traffic stop last month.

Yes, the same receiver selected before Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin.

It was his hands most were referring to when the "experts" suggested he wasn't worthy of such a high pick. His character issues were never discussed. In fact, his character and work ethic were among his strongest attributes, along with his world-class speed. 

That sentiment will now take a hit.

On April 7^th at 2:40 a.m., Heyward-Bey was driving his Range Rover on the San Francisco Bay Bridge when a California Highway Patrol officer spotted him weaving his automobile reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and proceded with a traffic stop.

If he is convicted of the DUI he can face up to six months in jail according to the San Francisco district attorney’s office. As reported earlier last month he failed the sobriety test land was cited and released.

Oakland Raiders spokesman Zak Gilbert said: "The team is well aware of the situation, and takes matters such as this very seriously. The organization will continue to gather specifics, and continue to cooperate with all parties involved."

Raider Nation really hopes Heyward-Bey can learn from this and move on with his life. He has great potential to become a strong player for Oakland as long as this situation remains an anomoly, rather than a trend.

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