Police: Hoosiers' forward Davis faulted for accident that put him in the hospital
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana forward Devin Davis was mostly to blame for the car accident that sent him to a hospital with a head injury, police said Monday.
Davis, a pedestrian, was injured early Saturday when teammate Emmitt Holt allegedly drove into him. Three passengers in Holt's car also witnessed the accident.
According to the police report, Holt said he had driven Davis to a parking lot at the football stadium. Holt told police that when he started to drive away, Davis "jumped" in front of the car. Police cited "pedestrian's action" as the primary cause and said both players had been drinking.
Initially, Davis was listed in serious condition, but he has been making progress. On Sunday, team doctor Larry Rink said Davis' speech was "normal" and he had use of all extremities. Team spokesman J.D. Campbell did not update Davis' condition Monday.
Holt is an 18-year-old freshman from Webster, New York, and Davis is a 19-year-old sophomore from Indianapolis.
Holt was cited for illegal consumption, a misdemeanor, and operating under the influence of alcohol under age 21. The team said Holt had a blood-alcohol level of 0.025, below the legal limit of 0.08. Davis has not been cited.
On Monday night, the school released statement from Holt. It read:
Davis' parents said in a statement issued by the school Sunday night that "there is a road to recovery ahead."
"We want to thank the incredible team at IU Health Bloomington Hospital for taking such great care of Devin," the statement said. "We also want to express our gratitude to coach (Tom) Crean, who has been by Devin's bedside for most of the past two days and to all of his coaches, teammates and the extended Hoosier family who have kept him in their prayers."
"I think it's poor choices," Crean explained on his first weekly radio show of the season, while adding that three players were suspended the season's first four games, including Holt. "Does leadership matter? Absolutely. Leadership matters the most when nobody of authority is around, and that's probably what we're lacking as much as anything else. But there's a lot of things that play a part in it and you deal with it the best way you can and you hope that people grow."
The injury could have a significant impact on a team already inexperienced and undersized in the post entering its Nov. 14 opener against Mississippi Valley State. The 6-foot-7 Davis was expected to help solidify the middle after averaging 2.4 points and 2.6 rebounds in 8.8 minutes a game last season. Only four players on the roster are taller than Davis.
The accident adds to the team's offseason turmoil. Three players transferred, one left early for the NBA and four walk-ons did not return.
In September, junior guard Yogi Ferrell and sophomore guard Stanford Robinson entered pretrial diversion programs after being charged in April with alcohol consumption by a minor and possession of false identification. Junior forward Hanner Mosquera-Perea was arrested in Bloomington in February on preliminary drunken driving charges.
