Ledbetter found asleep at the wheel early Sunday prior to DUI arrest

Jonathan Ledbetter was asleep at the wheel early Sunday morning before being subsequently charged for suspicion with driving under the influence and underage consumption of alcohol.

According to the police report, Ledbetter was inside a white Dodge Avenger, which was stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of Barnett Shoals Road and Lexington Road. The car was running with Ledbetter asleep inside, blocking traffic in the process. A bystander called police about the vehicle, to which police responded shortly after.

The responding officer parked his car in front of Ledbetter’s to prevent it from moving into oncoming traffic and noticed that his foot was on the brake pedal with the vehicle still in drive.

The officer then knocked on the window, yelled, shook the car and turned the police car’s siren on in attempt to wake Ledbetter up, but to no avail. After 20 minutes, another officer went to the Eastside precinct and picked up a “lock Jock” to open Ledbetter’s car. After gaining entry to the vehicle and turning off the car, an officer and EMS finally were able to eventually wake up Ledbetter, although how they did so was redacted from the police report.

After he woke, the officer noticed the smell of an alcoholic beverage on Ledbetter’s breath. Ledbetter admitted to drinking but stated he was home and had to be told that he was in a vehicle at an intersection.

“Certainly we are disappointed and recognize he has a serious problem,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. “We have provided help for him previously, and we are committed to providing whatever assistance is necessary for Jonathan that will contribute to immediate improvement but also ensure that his long-term well-being is secure.”

The officers conducted a field sobriety test on Ledbetter, with the report stating that he had trouble keeping his balance. After initially agreeing to a breathalyzer, Ledbetter then stated, “I don’t really want to blow into that because I know I’ve been drinking alcohol.” Ledbetter then blew into it and registered separate blood alcohol content levels of .131 and .138. The legal limit in Georgia is .08.

Ledbetter was then placed under arrest for DUI and underage consumption of alcohol.

This is the second time Ledbetter has been arrested for an alcohol-related crime. The first came in March when he was charged with underage consumption of alcohol and possessing a false identification, with both charges eventually being thrown out. Ledbetter initially was handed a one-game suspension, although Smart later walked that back a bit once the case was dismissed.

“First I want to apologize to my family, my teammates and coaches, the University and the Bulldog Nation,” Ledbetter said. “I have a problem and have received an incredible amount of support and treatment through the athletic department for the problem. For that I am thankful. I ask for everyone’s support as I continue to receive additional treatment for this disease and work toward a healthy life.”

In years past, a DUI arrest typically resulted in a two-game suspension. It remains to be seen whether this incident will count as Ledbetter’s first since his first arrest was dismissed.

Ledbetter spent more than four hours in jail Sunday morning before being bailed out on $2,000 bond.

This is the seventh arrest for Georgia since Smart took the program over. Ledbetter has accounted for two of those, while Chauncey Rivers was kicked off the team in May after three drug-related arrests.

Ledbetter is a rising sophomore who recorded 7 tackles in 2015. He’s expected to take on a bigger role this season.

This story was originally published July 11, 2016 at 9:58 AM with the headline "Ledbetter found asleep at the wheel early Sunday prior to DUI arrest."