DWI arrest leads to player's suspension

by Riley Bauling

Daily Lobo

Backup quarterback Chris Nelson was suspended Monday by UNM football head coach Rocky Long after a DWI arrest.

Nelson was arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning and charged with an aggravated count of DWI. Long said Nelson will not be able to play in the Lobos' first game against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas on Sept. 5.

Trish Hoffman, Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman, said an officer detected a strong odor of alcohol, in addition to Nelson's bloodshot and watery eyes at a sobriety checkpoint at 300 Central Ave. NE near Broadway Boulevard.

Hoffman said Nelson failed a field sobriety test and then refused to take a Breathalyzer test. Police detained him and took him to the Metropolitan Detention Center, where he was released Sunday afternoon after posting bond.

The 21-year-old Nelson was disruptive and argumentative with officers at the checkpoint, prompting police to threaten to use a Taser on him, Hoffman said.

"My understanding from the sergeant was that they pulled out their Tasers and that seemed to de-escalate the situation," Hoffman said. "He was being belligerent with a female officer and getting in her face."

Nelson's driver's license will be taken away for a year because he refused the breath test, Hoffman said.

Nelson, a transfer from Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kan., was held out of practice Monday and today, but still has the chance to return to the team for Thursday's workout. UNM does not have practice Wednesday.

"He'll take care of his business legally and abide by whatever ruling they have for him," Long said in a press release Monday. "He'll also do some things for us that are in-house. He broke the law and he has to pay his dues."

Nelson was second on the Lobos' depth chart behind starting quarterback Kole McKamey.

Sophomore Bryan Clampitt and redshirt freshman Steven Harris will move up to serve as the first and second backups behind McKamey for the UNLV game.