Wade Fined, Fairchild Sentenced To Jail

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas wide receiver Marques Wade and former starting linebacker Freddie Fairchild each appeared in Fayetteville District Court on Wednesday to be sentenced on separate criminal charges.

Fayetteville judge Rudy Moore Jr. fined Wade $225 and ordered him to pay $310 in court and county costs to settle misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated and careless driving. The 19-year-old sophomore paid the total on Wednesday.

Wade was also given a suspended 90-day jail sentence and ordered to do 16 hours of public service on the condition that he completes an alcohol awareness class. The wide receiver pleaded guilty to the drunken driving charges during his arraignment Monday.

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino announced late last month that Wade and backup linebacker Freddy Burton would each be suspended for the first two games of the season because of their separate DWI arrests this summer.

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 also admitted to police that he had smoked marijuana earlier in the day.

Fairchild, meanwhile, faced a much harsher sentence for his March 24 arrest for allegedly attacking a girlfriend and keeping her against her will.

Moore sentenced Fairchild to one year in jail with all but 120 days suspended. The former star linebacker was also fined $250 and ordered to pay $125 in court, booking and county charges.

The sentence means that Fairchild, who was Arkansas’ starting strongside linebacker last season, will spend four months in jail.

Petrino announced June 11 that Fairchild had been kicked off Arkansas’ football team for violation of team rules.

The troubled linebacker recored 92 tackles and led the Razorbacks with 4 1/2 sacks last season. But he was arrested earlier this month after Fayetteville police say he tried running from officers after they smelled burnt marijuana at an apartment building he was at.