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U. Of I. Basketball Player Charged In Crash

Jamar Smith Charged With Drunken Driving In Crash That Critically Injured Teammate

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (CBS) ― University of Illinois basketball player Jamar Smith -- charged Tuesday with drunk driving and leaving the scene of an accident -- apparently believed a teammate in the car had died, authorities said.

As CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports, there is a felony warrant out for Smith's arrest, with a $10,000 bond set by a judge after hearing prosecutors claim he was driving drunk, got into an accident and left a teammate for dead.

Smith's problems began on the court with a sprained ankle and a shooting slump. But they were nothing compared to what happened last week.

Smith, 19, was driving a 1996 Lexus shortly after 11 p.m. the night of Feb. 12 when it struck a tree in heavy snow. He then drove the car a little over a mile to the apartment complex where he lived in the small town of Savoy.

Bystanders called 911 after seeing the badly damaged car in the parking lot, with Smith's passenger, teammate Brian Carlwell, still inside, Champaign County State's Attorney Julia Rietz said. A number of other team members were gathered at the apartment, Rietz said.

"It appears that Smith was distraught, as he believed Carlwell had died in the crash," Rietz said in a written statement.

Smith's blood-alcohol level was .176 after the crash, more than twice the legal limit of .08, Rietz said.

"I saw him get out of the car, and he looked in the car and he said, 'Get up, get up. Wake up," said a neighbor who wished to stay anonymous. She said she watched the incident from an apartment window.

"I said, 'Do you need any help? Are you OK?' and he proceeded to tell me, 'We're fine… everything's fine," the woman said.

Then he walked away and returned to the apartment where he had gathered with friends earlier that evening. He came back moments later with another man. Neither approached the car or made a call to help their friend and teammate, according to the woman.

"I was just like, 'He's taking off – he's leaving.' I was just like, 'Is he coming back?' because it didn't look like he was coming back. It looked like he was running and he was running for good," the woman said.

No one, other than the woman CBS 2 spoke to and her friend called for help.

"This was a case of extremely poor judgment by Jamar,'' Illinois coach Bruce Weber said in a statement. "Now the legal process must run its course. Our program will continue to support Jamar as he deals with this situation. He remains a part of our family and needs us now more than ever. The most important thing is that both young men are alive, and that Brian is expected to make a full recovery."

"There are times when you can turn your back on people and I won't turn my back on anybody," Weber said.

Rietz said university police investigating the accident found that Smith and Carlwell had been drinking tequila and beer with others at an apartment in his complex, and left just after 11 p.m. The release doesn't say where they went.

Smith lost control of the Lexus -- registered to his grandparents -- which hit the tree on the passenger side, authorities said.

Carlwell, 19, suffered a severe concussion and spent four days at Carle Foundation Hospital Urbana before being released last Friday. He was well enough to sit on the bench at Sunday's game against Northwestern at Assembly Hall, and could play in the postseason, Weber has said.

Smith, a sophomore guard, was taken to the same hospital by unidentified coaches and university police, Rietz said. He was treated for a minor concussion and released early the next morning.

Witnesses reported seeing the Lexus pull into the apartment parking lot, then saw a tall man wearing University of Illinois sweat pants leave the car and enter the apartment building, leaving an unconscious Carlwell in the car, Rietz said. Shortly afterward, the tall man returned with a second man, then left and went back in the building, she said.

Smith was not in custody Tuesday, Rietz said. She said he is expected to appear in court at a date to be set.

Smith's attorney, Mark Lipton, was in court Tuesday and not available for comment, his office said.

Aggravated driving under the influence is a Class 4 felony that carries a sentence of up to 12 years in prison. Leaving the scene is a Class 3 felony and carries a sentence of up to five years in prison, Rietz said. Someone convicted of either charge, though, could be placed on probation, she added.

Smith's only previous traffic infraction was a 2004 citation for failure to stop or signal a turn, according to the Illinois Secretary of State's office.

Weber said last week that Smith would sit out the rest of the season, calling it a mutual agreement that would allow Smith to "focus all of his attention on the physical, emotional, academic and other related issues he will face in the coming weeks."

Smith is a graduate of Peoria Richwoods High School. He was selected to the Big Ten All Freshman Team his freshman year at U of I and led the conference in three-point shooting, hitting 48 percent of his 137 shots.

This season Smith had struggled to find his form after a pair of ankle injuries. He hit just 32 percent of his three-point shots before leaving the team.

Carlwell, a graduate of Proviso East High School in suburban Chicago, has averaged 1.7 points a game as a reserve.

Smith's traffic accident wasn't the first legal issue for the team.

Senior guard Rich McBride was arrested Sept. 29 and charged with driving under the influence. He has not entered a plea in the case, which is scheduled for a hearing on March 1. McBride was suspended for six games early this season because of his arrest.

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