Penn State football player placed into pre-trial program after DUI charge in State College
A Penn State football player was accepted Wednesday into a pretrial intervention program after being charged in September for driving under the influence of marijuana in State College.
Amin A. Vanover, 23, was placed into the program for one year. His driver’s license is to be suspended for 60 days, he must complete a driving course and was ordered by Centre County Judge Julia Rater to serve one day of community service.
The Nittany Lions’ senior defensive end was also barred from consuming alcohol while he is in the program, which is offered on a case-by-case basis by Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna’s office. A half-dozen other people with similar charges were also placed into the program Wednesday.
The Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program is meant for nonviolent offenders who have limited or no prior criminal record. People who complete the program successfully may later seek to have their charges dismissed, while those who don’t may be prosecuted.
“He’s a good man,” defense lawyer Brian Manchester told the Centre Daily Times after the hearing.
Vanover was stopped shortly after midnight Aug. 8 at the intersection of Waupelani Drive and O’Bryan Lane for an expired tag on his 2021 Dodge Charger, borough police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.
The sedan smelled of marijuana as an officer approached and Vanover was the only person in the vehicle, police wrote.
He claimed his friends smoked marijuana in the car and the smell was coming from his clothing, but an officer said Vanover appeared “sleepy” and looked to have bloodshot eyes.
He told an officer he did not own a medical marijuana card and failed roadside sobriety and drug impairment tests, police wrote. Vanover was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center for a blood draw, which tested positive for marijuana.
He was charged with two misdemeanor count of DUI and was cited for driving an unregistered vehicle. When he was charged, Penn State Athletics said the alleged actions “do not reflect the values and standards of our program and will be addressed.”
Coach James Franklin declined to publicly share what internal punishment was handed down. Vanover has played in each of Penn State’s seven games this season, racking up four tackles and a 1/2 sack against UCLA.
This story was originally published October 30, 2024 at 3:18 PM.