Alabama starting offensive lineman Alphonse Taylor was arrested and cited for driving under the influence on July 17. The arrest led head coach Nick Saban to suspend Taylor from the team indefinitely.
On Friday, though, strange details emerged from the situation that definitely make you question what exactly happened to Taylor before the arrest. According to Rivals.com, Taylor called the police himself after he had struck two vehicles. Taylor tested negative for alcohol after the arrest, drawing a 0.00 on two breathalyzer tests. The officer at the time of the arrest noted there was no odor of alcohol on Taylor, and that the lineman was taken in after failing field sobriety tests.
From Rivals:
The officer wrote that Taylor was reclining in his 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe when he arrived. Taylor told the officer that he had bumped his head on the steering wheel. The 911 call taker who dispatched the officer to the accident reported that Taylor was very difficult to understand.
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The officer reported that Taylor's eyelids were drooping, and that he performed poorly on the eye tests and could not keep his balance and started too soon during the walk-and-turn test. He reported that Taylor was walking unsteadily, swayed while standing and needed support exiting his vehicle. The officer checked boxes describing Taylor's attitude as cooperative, indifferent, carefree and sleepy. The officer noted that he did not smell alcohol.
Taylor is scheduled to appear in court on August 16.
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It's possible that Taylor was under the influence of some other substance, or that he suffered a head injury during one of the collisions, or both. However, this situation is certainly less clear that it was two weeks ago, and it definitely makes you wonder how that will impact the suspension currently in place by the team.
Taylor started all 15 games for the national champions in 2015. He was expected to be a major piece for the Crimson Tide again in 2016, even after he was demoted on the depth chart for weight issues.
Alabama begins the season on September 3 in Arlington against USC.
