Wade Pleads Guilty To Drunken Driving Charges

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas wide receiver Marques Wade appeared in Fayetteville District Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated and careless driving.

Wade, 19, is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday. The sophomore is one of seven Arkansas players to get into trouble with the law since March, including six who have been arrested.

According to a Fayetteville police report, Wade was arrested July 26 after he sped through a parking lot and nearly struck an officer with his vehicle. He failed a field sobriety test and later blew a 0.110 on a breathalyzer test, above the legal limit in Arkansas of 0.08.

“(Wade) had the odor of intoxicants coming from his person. His eyes were bloodshot,” the police report said. “(Wade) stated when asked how much he had to drink that he had not been drinking, but had smoked some marijuana earlier in the day.”

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino announced July 29 that Wade and backup linebacker Freddy Burton would each be suspended for the first two games of the upcoming season because of their legal troubles.

The suspensions were handed down three days after Wade’s arrest and a day after Burton pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of DWI and careless driving. The charges stem from Burton’s arrest on June 29.

A Fayetteville judge sentenced Burton earlier this month to pay $535 in fines and court costs, as well as complete an alcohol awareness class.

Wade has yet to catch a pass in two seasons at Arkansas, but he’s among several wide receivers who are competing in preseason practice for a starting job.