Oregon linebacker Kiko Alonso, 19, was cited for DUII early Saturday morning.
At approximately 2:19 a.m., Alonso was spotted with two passengers driving along East 7th Avenue in Eugene. Police observed that Alonso was driving erratically, which prompted them to pull him over at a 7-Eleven on East Broadway.
While stopped, Alonso was cited for DUII (driving under the influence of intoxicants), failure to maintain a lane, driving without insurance and minor in possession. His first appearance in court is set for March 4 at 8 a.m.
The citation came less than 24 hours after Oregon head coach Chip Kelly addressed the media regarding several team members’ recent appearances in the news for illegal activity. Though there are rumors Alonso will be thrown off the team, no disciplinary action has been confirmed.
Alonso, who measures at 6 feet 4 inches and 225 pounds, serves as a backup to linebacker Casey Matthews. He made 15 tackles during the 2009 season and also played a role in kickoff coverage. Before the incident, he was expected to replace Matthews in 2011 and 2012.
The football team has now seen four of its members run into legal trouble within the last month. Running back LaMichael James was arrested Tuesday on charges of domestic violence, while kicker Rob Beard was charged with assault for his role in a fight on Jan. 24.
Matt Simms, a walk-on defensive end, was also charged with assault on the weekend of Jan. 31. Simms has since been removed from the team.
Jamere Holland released
Head coach Chip Kelly announced Sunday that junior wide receiver Jamere Holland has been dismissed from the team for violating team rules.
Holland has recently been critical of the team on his Facebook page, but it has not been released what his actual transgression was.
Holland, a transfer from USC and a Pacoima, Calif., native, played two seasons with the Ducks. He had a total of 17 catches for 252 yards and two touchdowns. In 2009, he had 13 receptions for 199 yards and two touchdowns in 10 appearances. Holland did not play in the Rose Bowl because he was ruled academically ineligible by the team.