Updated on: 6/4/2018
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, star tight end and basketball player at the University of Washington, remains under investigation for driving under the influence after being involved in a single-vehicle accident in Seattle late Saturday night.
UW Player Injured in Crash
Seattle police cited Seferian-Jenkins with drunken driving after an officer noticed a strong odor of alcohol on the football star’s breath.
The police report indicates that Seferian-Jenkins was driving in the University District when the vehicle he was driving swerved off the road. A witness to the accident told police the vehicle had been driving at a high rate of speed.
Police responded to the scene of the accident at 22nd Avenue Northeast and Northeast Ravenna Boulevard at approximately 11:30 p.m. Saturday. Upon arriving at the scene, first responders found the vehicle resting in an open basin at the southern end of Ravenna City Park. Seferian-Jenkins had a bloody nose and the vehicle had obvious physical damage.
Signs of Alcohol Impairment
In his report, the responding officer wrote, “I immediately noticed the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage, thick-tongued speech, and watery bloodshot eyes, all of which are consistent with someone who has consumed a significant amount of alcohol.” Seferian-Jenkins was then placed under arrest on suspicion of DUI before being transported to Harborview Medical Center.
Initially, the Huskies player declined medical attention and refused to take a blood test. He eventually underwent a blood draw after police obtained a search warrant to do a blood-alcohol test.
This is a very unfortunate incident that puts the entire University of Washington football program under public scrutiny. DUI victims advocates will likely have their eye on this case to see how Seferian-Jenkins is disciplined and whether or not he is formally charged with DUI. Prosecutors have not yet made formal charges against the football star.