An Arkansas State quarterback was dismissed from the team Sunday, hours after being arrested on minor in possession and suspicion of DWI charges by ASU Police, Coach Blake Anderson said Monday.
D.J. Pearson, a redshirt freshman from Duluth, Ga., was arrested at 2:30 a.m. Sunday on ASU’s campus, according to an ASU police department incident report. Pearson, 20, almost hit an ASU police officer while driving a 2009 Dodge Charger through a parking lot before parking, according to the report. After approaching Pearson, one officer saw a glass bottle in Pearson’s hand. After standardized field sobriety tests and a portable breath test, Pearson was arrested.
Pearson signed with the Red Wolves in February 2015 and redshirted last season. He was listed as ASU’s third-team quarterback and has not taken a snap in a game this season.
Anderson said an “accumulation of a couple” actions led to the dismissal. Pearson was also arrested in June on suspicion of shoplifting at a Jonesboro Wal-Mart, according to a Jonesboro Police Department report.
“We’re going to do everything we can to help him move forward and learn from his mistakes,” Anderson said Monday. “We just didn’t feel like his actions were something that we could continue to move forward with. So I hate it. Wish him the very best. Think he just needs to grow up.”