NFL fines Maualuga 2 game checks for DUI
Published 2:59 am Wednesday, August 18, 2010
CINCINNATI — Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga was fined two game checks by the NFL on Tuesday and forfeited a two-week share of his signing bonus for a drunken driving conviction.
The NFL decided not to suspend Maualuga, who pleaded guilty to drunken driving charges in February.
“These past couple weeks and days I was wondering when I was going to find out. I found out this morning and I was ecstatic,” Maualuga said. “We’ve got everything put behind us now and we can just concentrate on football.”
Police in northern Kentucky said the second-year player from Southern California hit a parking meter and two parked cars while driving drunk in January. He was charged with drunken and careless driving. Maualuga apologized and entered a guilty plea.
Maualuga got a suspended seven-day jail sentence and had his driver’s license suspended for 90 days. He was ordered to participate in an alcohol and drug education program.
The linebacker also was put on probation for two years and ordered to pay $884 in fines plus court costs. He was ordered to make restitution for damages from the accident.
He wasn’t sure whether he would be suspended by the league under its substance abuse and conduct policies.
“I took care of what I could and let the league take steps they had to,” he said. “I’m glad that everyone came together and took care of it.”