Florida OL Trip Thurman facing legal charges

By Adam Silverstein
October 26, 2012

So much for the Florida Gators’ arrest-free summer.

Though it had not been known publicly until it was reported Friday by The Miami Herald’s Matt Watts, Florida redshirt freshman offensive lineman Trip Thurman was cited back on June 15 for possession of stolen property – driver’s license or identification, a third-degree felony. He was then picked up again on Sept. 27 for misdemeanor possession of alcohol by a minor and is scheduled to face judgment for both infractions in six weeks.

Thurman’s first citation came during an on-campus traffic stop in which an officer noticed in his wallet, according to a police report obtained by the Herald, “what appeared to be a forged Florida driver license” that was falsified and “made Thurman over the age of 21 and [in turn] able to purchase alcoholic beverages.”

He was originally charged with a third-degree felony but had it dropped down to a misdemeanor for possession of a driver’s license or identity card with an altered date of birth. He then accepted deferred prosecution for the offense on Sept. 25 after Gainesville, FL attorney Huntley Johnson filed a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Agreeing to perform 10 hours of community service and pay $150 in combined fines and charitable donations, Thurman was free and clear and would have had the misdemeanor charge dropped from his record as long as he stayed out of trouble for four months.

He instead doubled down on his legal troubles just two days later when a police officer caught him drinking and trying to conceal a can of beer at a concert in Gainesville. That arrest, also a misdemeanor, violated his deferred prosecution agreement.

Thurman will be back in court on Dec. 5 to begin the process of settling the two charges.

Back with the Gators this season after missing most of the 2011 campaign with an injured shoulder, Thurman has played in just seven games over two years. He took a redshirt last season and has not yet been put in a position to be a major contributor.

The arrests mark the first time Thurman has been in trouble since enrolling at Florida. He is the 10th player to be cited for an infraction since head coach Will Muschamp took over the Gators in Jan. 2011. Four of the nine players previously arrested are no longer with the Florida football program.

4 Comments

  1. Donnie says:

    So a fake ID is a felony now in Florida? Damn if it was that way when I grew up in Gainesville I’d probably still be in prison due to the numerous times I was caught with a fake one. I hate to see any of these kids messing up but, ill take this kind of offense over being caught smoking weed 4 times or rolling up on someone with a assault rifle. I’m sure he was felt with accordingly by the staff.

  2. Gator Boys says:

    No big deal. Don’t care if a UF player does it and I wouldn’t ridicule FSU fans if an FSU player did it. Attacking police, fighting, beating women, pulling out guns, brawls in the student union…Thats a different story.

  3. joe says:

    This will free up a scholarship for next year

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