J.T. Barrett pleaded guilty on Tuesday to operating a vehicle while impaired at an arraignment hearing in Franklin County.
As part of a plea deal, the charge of backing without safety was dropped, The Columbus Dispatch reported. The judge suspended Barrett's license for 180 days, fined him $400, and mandated he attend a three-day alcohol education course.
Barrett, 20, was reportedly trying to avoid a DUI checkpoint near the Ohio State University campus early in the morning on Halloween when he was pulled over and issued a breathalyzer test. According to Cleveland.com, his blood-alcohol level was 0.99, which surpassed the legal limit for minors, 0.2, and for those older than 21, 0.8.
While Barrett's license was suspended, he will be allowed to drive to school and to football activities, The Dispatch learned.
"I know he is horribly embarrassed, and he is very concerned with how this has affected those close to him, starting with his family, his teammates, his coaches, and of course the Ohio State fans," Phil Templeton, Barrett's attorney, told the newspaper. "He knows he is in a pressure cooker program, and he is really embarrassed for all the negative attention this has brought to the team."
OSU head football coach Urban Meyer stated at a press conference Monday that Barrett will start on Saturday as long as he has a good week of practice, which he indicated was inevitable. Meyer decided to suspend Barrett for last Saturday's game for the OVI arrest and also revoked his financial aid for the summer term, though that can be earned back.
Per Cleveland.com, Barrett's only comment on the matter was a brief statement in court: "I just want to apologize to my family, the Ohio State football program and Buckeye nation."
