Georgia football receiver Nitro Tuggle was driving 107 miles per hour when the Athens-Clarke County (Georgia) police pulled him over and arrested him on March 19.
According to a police incident report obtained Wednesday by the Athens Banner-Herald, part of the USA TODAY Network, Tuggle was driving his 2021 Dodge Charger in the inside lane of Georgia State Route 10 Loop outside Athens with other motorists on the road. His girlfriend was also in the car with him.
The report added that Tuggle was going 42 miles over the speed limit and when asked to pull over, Tuggle ‘nearly exited without placing the vehicle in park.’
‘I instructed Tuggle to exit the vehicle, at which point he nearly exited without placing the vehicle in park,’ the report said. ‘Due to his reckless disregard for the safety of others – including himself, his passenger, other motorists, and myself – by operating the vehicle at a speed 42 mph over the limit and exceeding triple-digit speeds, I placed him under arrest.’
He was charged with misdemeanor speeding and reckless driving.
Tuggle was suspended indefinitely from team activities last Friday. According to 247 Sports Composite Rankings, the rising sophomore was the 102nd-ranked prospect in the country in the 2024 recruiting class. He caught three passes for 34 yards last season.
Offensive lineman Marques Easley was also suspended from team activities on Friday. The sophomore from Peoria, Illinois, was arrested for reckless driving and reckless conduct after crashing his Dodge Challenger into a power distribution box in Oconee County on March 17. The incident also damaged other cars.
“Disappointed, obviously, in those two young men in their decision-making process for each one,’ Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Tuesday night. ‘Both of them are younger players that made crucial mistakes.”
The troubling trend of arrests continues for Smart and the Bulldogs. According to the Athens Banner-Herald, since a Jan. 15, 2023, fatal crash that killed offensive lineman Devin Willock and support staffer Chandler LeCroy, 32 Georgia football players or a member of the support staff have been charged for speeding, reckless driving, or racing.
