The Georgia football program is facing another embarrassing traffic-related arrest, and this time the accused player is also being charged with felony drug possession.
Ja’Marley Riddle, a transfer from East Carolina, was spotted by an undercover officer driving his red Dodge Durango at a high rate of speed on May 8, according to an incident reporter first published by Brunswick, Georgia’s WGIG FM.
‘[Riddle] was weaving in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed (around 95 miles per hour), causing a hazard to pedestrians on the roadway,’ read the incident report.
The defensive back from Kingsland, Georgia was quickly pulled over on I-95 in Brunswick. When speaking to Glynn County Police, Riddle seemed nervous according to officers, who noted the smell of marijuana.
Police say he politely agreed to let them search his vehicle, which led them to discover packaging containing both marijuana and THC vapes. Officers then placed him under arrest without any resistance.
‘Mr. Riddle was kind and polite throughout the entire investigation,’ read the incident report.
Ja’Marley Riddle, a transfer from East Carolina, was spotted by an undercover officer driving his red Dodge Durango at a high rate of speed on May 8. He was later arrested
Riddle (No. 2) transferred from East Carolina to Georgia, where he could start for the ‘Dawgs
Officers phoned Riddle’s family to inform them of his arrest before he was transported to the Glynn County Detention Center. However, jail records do not have Riddle listed as having been an inmate at the facility.
He now faces felony drug charges and a speeding misdemeanor.
Riddle was expected to compete for a starting job in the Bulldogs secondary after recording three interceptions as both a freshman and sophomore at East Carolina. The 19-year-old has reportedly been limited in spring practices due to a leg injury.
Georgia spokespeople have issued a statement on his arrest.
‘We are aware of the charges and are actively gathering additional information,’ read that statement. ‘As this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not be providing further comment at this time.’
Georgia football coach Kirby Smart has faced intense scrutiny over over the speeding issues
That’s hardly the first time Georgia spokespeople have been forced to issue such a statement in recent years.
Since winning national titles at the end of the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Bulldogs players have been arrested no fewer than 30 times, according to USA Today.
The situation was at its worst between January 2023 and July 2024, when the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Georgia players were involved in 24 driving-related incidents.
It was in January of 2023, while the Bulldogs were celebrating their second straight national title, that offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy were killed in a road-racing crash.
LeCroy had allegedly been racing future Philadelphia Eagles star and Super Bowl champion, Jalen Carter, in the moments before the crash.
Georgia has gained notoriety for driving arrests since the deaths of Devin Willock (L) and Chandler LeCroy (R) during a road racing incident after celebrating the 2022 national title
Eagles star Jalen Carter was driving the other car when LeCroy crashed in January of 2023
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has previously maintained that he and his colleagues are working to solve this problem, but last year rejected the idea that different team policies could have prevented the fatalities.
‘No policy or lack thereof policy caused this accident,’ Smart told the Banner-Herald in 2023.
Last month, it was Georgia basketball player Kareem Stagg who was arrested after allegedly driving his SUV 87mph in a 65mph zone on State Route 316. Stagg, 18, only has his learner’s permit and was driving without a licensed driver over 21 in the car, in violation of state law.
According to jail records obtained by Daily Mail, Stagg was charged with speeding and misdemeanor driving without a valid license.
He was released after posting $1,245 bond. A date for a pretrial hearing has not been set.
