Highly touted Missouri freshman quarterback Blaine Dalton has been suspended indefinitely from team activities following his arrest on suspicion of drug and traffic violations.
The 18-year-old Dalton, named the top high school player in the Kansas City area as a senior, enrolled at Missouri a semester ahead of schedule to participate in spring practice.
The arrest took place late Thursday near the Missouri campus. No charges had been filed as of late Friday.
Athletic Department spokesman Chad Moller told the Columbia Daily Tribune that coach Gary Pinkel suspended Dalton indefinitely from team activities, which is standard team policy following an arrest.
A top national recruit from Blue Springs South High School near Kansas City, Dalton was third on Missouri's depth chart behind sophomore Blaine Gabbert and sophomore Jimmy Costello following spring practices.
Police stopped a vehicle driven by Dalton about 11 p.m. Thursday near campus and found 10 pills of Hydrocodone, a prescription painkiller, and alcohol, Deputy Chief Tom Dresner told the newspaper. Police searched the vehicle after officers smelled marijuana inside and said a passenger was not arrested.
Dalton was arrested on suspicion of felony possession of a controlled substance, minor in possession of alcohol, possession of false identification and three traffic charges, including a lane violation and failure to provide insurance. He was released from the Boone County Jail after posting a $4,800 bond.
Under state law, the drug offense is considered a Class C felony punishable upon conviction by a maximum of seven years in prison.
If Dalton is charged with a felony crime, he cannot be reinstated to the team until the matter is resolved, according to a school athletic department policy adopted in 2004.
Dalton completed 21 of 44 passes for 193 yards and an interception in three spring scrimmages, while mostly running the third-string offense.
He led his high school team to the Class 6A state championship as a sophomore in 2006 and a runnerup finish as a senior.
Dalton passed for more than 5,000 yards and 65 touchdowns in three seasons and won the Thomas A. Simone Memorial Football Award in December, given annually to the best high school player in the Kansas City area.
The 18-year-old Dalton, named the top high school player in the Kansas City area as a senior, enrolled at Missouri a semester ahead of schedule to participate in spring practice.
The arrest took place late Thursday near the Missouri campus. No charges had been filed as of late Friday.
Athletic Department spokesman Chad Moller told the Columbia Daily Tribune that coach Gary Pinkel suspended Dalton indefinitely from team activities, which is standard team policy following an arrest.
A top national recruit from Blue Springs South High School near Kansas City, Dalton was third on Missouri's depth chart behind sophomore Blaine Gabbert and sophomore Jimmy Costello following spring practices.
Police stopped a vehicle driven by Dalton about 11 p.m. Thursday near campus and found 10 pills of Hydrocodone, a prescription painkiller, and alcohol, Deputy Chief Tom Dresner told the newspaper. Police searched the vehicle after officers smelled marijuana inside and said a passenger was not arrested.
Dalton was arrested on suspicion of felony possession of a controlled substance, minor in possession of alcohol, possession of false identification and three traffic charges, including a lane violation and failure to provide insurance. He was released from the Boone County Jail after posting a $4,800 bond.
Under state law, the drug offense is considered a Class C felony punishable upon conviction by a maximum of seven years in prison.
If Dalton is charged with a felony crime, he cannot be reinstated to the team until the matter is resolved, according to a school athletic department policy adopted in 2004.
Dalton completed 21 of 44 passes for 193 yards and an interception in three spring scrimmages, while mostly running the third-string offense.
He led his high school team to the Class 6A state championship as a sophomore in 2006 and a runnerup finish as a senior.
Dalton passed for more than 5,000 yards and 65 touchdowns in three seasons and won the Thomas A. Simone Memorial Football Award in December, given annually to the best high school player in the Kansas City area.
