Austin Seferian-Jenkins officially charged with DUI

Drinking alcohol is generally frowned upon when a motor vehicle is involved. There is a limit to how much alcohol you can have in your bloodstream while driving. The limit is 0.08%. Any higher than that and it is illegal to drive. Driving drunk has a tendency to cause car accidents, as was learned by tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins of the Washington Huskies last month.

On March 9, Seferian-Jenkins was arrested following a one-car accident in Seattle. Says the police report (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times), "An officer came across 'came across a traffic collision' and 22nd Avenue N.E. and Ravenna Avenue N.E. at 11:29 p.m., where the driver was found with a bloody nose. The injury, the police report states, 'was consisted with hitting his face on the windshield of the crashed vehicle.'"

Seferian-Jenkins, later identified, was traveling 'at a high speed' before the accident according to a witness. He was found standing outside the vehicle with a strong smell of alcohol and bloodshot eyes. He has now been charged with misdemeanor DUI. The Seattle City Attorney's office said that the potential All-American registered a blood-alcohol level of 0.18%, well above the legal limit.

Seferian-Jenkins remains indefinitely suspended from the team and is not taking part in any team activities, including spring practices. UW's official student-athlete code of conduct states: "When a student-athlete has been arrested or charged with a violation of criminal law, the student-athlete will be placed on administrative suspension from all team activities pending further investigation." Since this is a misdemeanor offense, the head coach, Steve Sarkisian in this case, can lift the suspension if he first obtains permission from the sports administrator. If this were to have been a felony offense, only the Director of Athletics would be able to lift the suspension.

The star tight end will be a junior in 2013, and is also considered a strong candidate for the Mackey Award, given to the best tight end in the country. He was one of three finalists in the previous season, and the only underclassmen.

With Seferian-Jenkins sitting out, spring practice has given more first-team reps to go to Michael Hartvigson and Evan Hudson, both juniors. They are backed up by Josh Perkins, a sophomore, and David Ajamu, who will arrive in the fall.

Should Seferian-Jenkins miss any games, it would be a big blow the the UW offense, as the Gig Harbor graduate already holds several UW single-season and career records for tight ends, even with Washington known as a school for churning out good tight ends.

Washington opens its season and the new Husky Stadium on Aug. 31 against Boise State, and it is very possible that the Huskies will do so without one of their top playmakers.