Dylan Donahue, a linebacker for the New York Jets, has pleaded guilty in a DUI crash case that stems from February.
The accident took place when the 25-year-old drove his Dodge Charger Hellcat the wrong direction down the Lincoln Tunnel and smashed into a private passenger bus that was transporting more than a dozen people, four of which wound up in the hospital.
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According to TMZ Sports, Donahue was slapped with four charges initially, but three of them were dropped after he agreed to a plea deal that led to him pleading guilty to “operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.”
Donahue’s sentence was three months suspension on his driver’s license, requirement to complete a DUI education program, and having an ignition interlock device installed on his vehicle for one year (this is used to test breath for alcohol before allowing the car to start).
The NFL star has still been training at the Jets camp during the off-season, with reports indicating that his performance is really impressing the coaches.
While he has not made a public statement regarding the DUI crash, a lawyer for Donahue did provide one to TMZ.
“Dylan accepts full responsibility for his actions and apologizes to his friends and family and fans,” Attorney Terry Webb told the new outlet. “Dylan has been sober since the incident and is still committed to living a sober life.”
Following his arrest in February, Donahue checked himself into rehab, a fact that was confirmed by his agent Gary Uberstine.
“Dylan recognizes the seriousness of these issues and has voluntarily taken some important initial steps to deal with them,” Uberstine said in a statement, as reported by NJ.com. “He is committed to this process of self improvement, appreciates people respecting his privacy as he works to get healthy, and will address this matter publicly at an appropriate time.”
The February 2018 crash was not Donahue’s first DUI, as shortly after being drafted by the Jets in 2017 he was involved in a crash that caused his SUV to flip.
That accident in his hometown of Billings, Montana led to him being arrested on suspicion of DUI. It was reported that at the time his blood-alcohol level was 0.137, which is significantly above the legal limit of 0.08.
The team ultimately commented on Donahue enteriing rehab, saying that that they “respect and support” his “decision to seek treatment.”
“It is important for him to focus on his health right now,” the Jets’ statement added. “The organization has a full support system in place when he is ready to return.”
