Marcell Dareus Charged with 3 Misdemeanors: Latest Details and Updates

Updates from Tuesday, July 1

Shawn Campbell of the Buffalo News has the latest on Dareus:

Ed Drantch of News 4 in Buffalo has more:

Updates from Monday, June 16

The Associated Press broke down the legal situation surrounding Marcell Dareus over his involvement in an alleged car race:

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Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus' court appearance over an alleged car race that ended in an accident has been postponed to July 1, the Hamburg Town Court clerk's office says.

Dareus was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday to face a reckless endangerment charge stemming from him crashing his 2012 Jaguar into a tree in suburban Buffalo on May 30. Dareus was also ticketed for several traffic violations, including drag racing.

"

Updates from Tuesday, June 10

Mike Rodak of ESPN provides an update on Marcell Dareus, who has applied to enter an intervention program:

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Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus has applied to enter a pre-trial intervention program in Alabama following his arrest last month on felony drug charges.

Dareus' attorney, George R. Giddens, said it could take at least six months before his client receives a response from the state.

The pre-trial intervention program, which Giddens said is common in cases of marijuana and cocaine possession, includes drug counseling and could eventually result in Dareus' case being dismissed.

"

Updates from Friday, June 6

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the latest on Dareus, courtesy of coach Doug Marrone:

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“That’s a good question,” Marrone said. “That’s a good question, whether he gets it or not. You say all the right things but then your actions are going to speak louder than your words. We all understand that obviously, and we’re aware, he’s made some poor decisions lately. I’m working with him. He’s dealing with stuff, too.”

[...]

“I told him, ‘You are responsible for your actions.’ And that’s the same with everyone,” Marrone said. “Like I said it before, I believe in this kid, I really do. And I really believe it is part of my job description to help these young men. Marcell is 24 years old. These rookies that are coming in are 22. I’ll be blunt about it, and I’m not blaming a lot of things, but it goes back to, when the NCAA went back to the 40-hour rule, we have a Collective Bargaining Agreement, you know, it’s proven, even when I was in college, these athletes have performed a lot better academically when it was during the football season than they did in the offseason. . . . We have to take advantage and help them [in] the time that they are with us. I think there is a lot to do. Now, with Marcell, we’re working on things, I’m heavily involved with it, and we’re doing everything we possibly can to make sure that he can make better decisions. We obviously know he’s an outstanding ballplayer and he’s got a big heart and is a great person. He just has to learn and make better decisions.”

"

Updates from Wednesday, June 4

Joe Buscaglia of WGR talked to Jerry Hughes, who confirmed he was there when Marcell Dareus was arrested:

Updates from Tuesday, June 3

Mike Rodak of ESPN has more details on Marcell Dareus' charges:

Bills head coach Doug Marrone later spoke about Dareus and his status with the team following the charges (via Rodak):

The Buffalo News also reported the identity of the second Bills player with Dareus in the car: 

Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News provided more info on Hughes:

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A second Buffalo Bills player is under investigation in the suspected drag racing crash Friday that led to the arrest of Marcell Dareus, sources tell The Buffalo News.

Sources say that defensive lineman Jerry Hughes, 25, of Sugar Land, Texas, is being investigated by Hamburg Town police as the driver of a black Camaro seen by witnesses racing against Dareus at Milestrip Road and McKinley Parkway on Friday afternoon. Dareus’ white Jaguar struck a tree outside the Mongolian Buffet Restaurant. Dareus was arrested on misdemeanor charges and traffic violations.

No charges have been filed yet against Hughes.

"

Original Text

Buffalo Bills star defensive tackle Marcell Dareus is in the news for all the wrong reasons—again. 

According to The Buffalo News' Tim Graham, Dareus has been charged with multiple misdemeanors and other violations in connection with a car race in Hamburg, New York:

The most serious charge, per The Buffalo News' James Staas and Shawn Campbell, is reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor that could potentially fetch a punishment of one year in jail.

There's never a good time for an organization to receive this kind of news about one of its best players, but when it comes to the Bills and Dareus, this is undoubtedly the worst possible timing. 

Dareus, the fourth-year rising star from the University of Alabama, already faces felony drug charges stemming from a traffic stop on May 5. He still awaits a court date for that case, but Wednesday he talked to the media, via ESPN.com's Mike Rodak, offering comments that sound nothing but superficial in light of this latest news:

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They believe in me. They know that I'm not a trouble guy. They know I'm not the type of person that's trying to look for any trouble. I'm not trying to do anything. Things happen and we're moving forward and they know I'm gonna grow into the guy they want me to be.

"

It was still uncertain whether he would receive a suspension following that incident, but as Syracuse.com's Brent Axe argued, there's pretty much no escaping that punishment now:

Dareus is a tremendous talent. In three seasons with the Bills, he has recorded 18.5 sacks, showcasing a consistent ability to disrupt and create havoc on the interior. He made his first Pro Bowl last season and is also a plus run defender.

If he continues down this path, though, that talent will quickly wash down the drain.

As for the Bills, a team working hard to rebuild and put an end to a 14-season playoff drought, it's looking more and more likely they will have to start the season without one of their defensive stars.