LEXINGTON, Ky. - University of Kentucky starting center Jason Watts, severely injured in a truck crash that killed a teammate and another friend, is being charged with second-degree manslaughter and drunken driving, a prosecutor said.
As Kentucky's football team returned to practice Tuesday for the first time since the crash, Pulaski County Attorney Fred Neikirk said a blood sample taken from Mr. Watts showed the player had a blood-alcohol level of 0.15. The level at which a driver is presumed intoxicated in Kentucky is 0.10.
The crash hospitalized Mr. Watts with a 12-inch gash in his right arm and killed Kentucky transfer player Arthur "Artie" Steinmetz, a former Covington Catholic football standout, and Christopher Scott Brock, a student at Eastern Kentucky University.
Mr. Neikirk said a criminal summons was issued Tuesday, ordering Mr. Watts to appear in Pulaski District Court Dec. 17. At that time, he is to be formally charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter and one count of drunken driving, Mr. Neikirk said.
Mr. Watts is not being arrested, Mr. Neikirk said. The manslaughter charges are felonies, meaning Mr. Watts' case likely will be waived to a grand jury for possible indictment, Mr. Neikirk said.
Kentucky coach Hal Mumme refused to comment when asked about the charges following practice Tuesday afternoon.
Asked later about the team's alcohol policy, Mr. Mumme responded angrily, "What part of 'no' don't you understand?"
After canceling practice Monday, Kentucky (7-3) resumed preparations Tuesday for Saturday's regular season finale against Tennessee. Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch said practice was a welcome distraction.
"I thought we were really focused," he said. "I think it was good for all of us to get focused."
Mr. Watts, a senior who has been a three-year starter at center, underwent a second surgery Tuesday at the University of Kentucky Medical Center to clean the wound in his forearm. Dr. James Lovett, a plastic surgeon at the hospital, said the procedure would be repeated today.
Mr. Watts remained in fair condition.
Mr. Watts, Mr. Steinmetz and Mr. Brock all were thrown from Mr. Watts' 1985 Chevrolet truck when it went out of control just before 7 a.m. Sunday on U.S. 27 north of Somerset and flipped over. Mr. Steinmetz and Mr. Brock were pronounced dead at the scene.
The men were headed for a farm near Somerset, where they planned to hunt deer. The football team had no practice Sunday, following Saturday's 55-17 home victory over Vanderbilt.
Pulaski County Sheriff Sam Catron, who is handling the crash investigation, said his department is still conducting interviews of people in Lexington and Somerset and awaiting the results of autopsies and an accident reconstruction expert.
"It's going to take some time" to complete the investigation, Mr. Catron said.
The university issued a blanket no comment on the charges on behalf of Kentucky players and instructed reporters not to question players about the latest development.
"With this becoming a legal matter, we will not make any further comment on the issue," Kentucky athletics director C.M. Newton said in a statement. "Our best wishes and prayers continue to be with the families affected by this tragedy."
Mr. Brock's funeral will be today near Hyden, the eastern Kentucky mountain town where he and Mr. Couch grew up. Services for Mr. Steinmetz, a defensive lineman who transferred from Michigan State to Kentucky in August, will be Thursday in his hometown of Edgewood in Northern Kentucky.
