Four Tennessee basketball players, including starting senior
forward Tyler Smith, were charged with gun possession and other
counts after a Friday traffic stop.
The Knoxville Police Department said Smith, 23, junior point
guard Melvin Goins, 22, junior center Brian Williams, 22, and
sophomore guard Cameron Tatum, 21, were arrested during a traffic
stop for speeding near Tennessee's campus.
According to a police report, officers smelled marijuana
coming from the car and found a handgun with an altered serial
number, a bag of marijuana and an open container of alcohol. Tatum
was driving.
Officers could not determine whether any of the players were
under the influence of marijuana, though the strong odor suggested
marijuana had recently been smoked in the car, the police report
said.
Tatum was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and
having an open container of alcohol. Smith was charged with
unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with
an altered serial number, which is a felony. Goins and Williams
both face gun and drug possession charges.
Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl announced that all four players
would be indefinitely suspended from the team.
“I am deeply saddened and troubled by today’s
news," Pearl said in the statement. "I apologize for the
embarrassment this has caused to our University.”
It was not immediately clear if any of the players had
attorneys.
The Volunteers won at Memphis 66-59 on Thursday afternoon and
face Charlotte in Knoxville on Wednesday.
