Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Nyier Daniels has been dismissed from the team following his arrest Sunday after a dangerous high-speed police chase, head coach Kirby Smart confirmed Monday.
According to Fox News, Daniels, a redshirt freshman who appeared in three games this season, was booked into Jackson County Jail in Georgia on multiple charges, including three felonies and ten misdemeanors.
Among the felonies were fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and two counts of cruelty to children, as Daniels had his two younger siblings in the vehicle during the chase.
The misdemeanors included reckless driving and speeding. Police said Daniels reached speeds of 100 mph in a 25-mph zone in Commerce and accelerated to 150 mph on Interstate 85 while fleeing law enforcement.
“I have not had a chance to talk to him or his family, but obviously he’ll no longer be with us,” Smart said, confirming the player’s removal from the team.
The incident also involved Daniels’ mother, Brandi Canada Green, who was reportedly driving another vehicle during the chase. She faces a felony charge of fleeing or attempting to elude police and a misdemeanor for willful obstruction of law enforcement.
According to the police report, Capt. Cole Edwards asked Daniels why he fled, to which he responded that he did not want his mother to get a ticket.
Daniels initially managed to evade officers, but law enforcement later arrested him after learning he was a Georgia player and contacting the team for assistance.
Daniels had played most recently in the Bulldogs’ 35-3 win over Charlotte on Saturday, making this week’s events a sharp contrast to his on-field success. The university and coaching staff are now addressing the legal and disciplinary implications of the case.
With the arrest and subsequent dismissal, the Bulldogs lose a member of their offensive line as they navigate the remainder of the season, while Daniels faces serious legal consequences stemming from the dangerous incident.
