With a little help from his friends at the Dodgers, Yasiel Puig is off the hook.
Charges of reckless driving and speeding in Tennessee last April were dropped Wednesday after a Hamilton County judge read a letter from Dodgers executive vice president Lon Rosen praising Puig for his involvement in the Los Angeles community.
Puig, who was playing for the Dodgers' Double-A team in Chattanooga at the time, was arrested in April for driving 97 miles an hour in a in a 50-mph zone.
The hearing was postponed several times because Puig was promoted to the Dodgers in June and was not available.
Rosen's letter to Judge David Bales called the rookie outfielder "an asset." Rosen said Puig was active in several charities and worked with underprivileged youth in the L.A. area. He also noted that Puig has attended fundraisers for an orphanage in Zambia.
According to Chattanoogan.com, prosecutor Neal Pinkston recommended dismissal in the case.
Puig's attorney, Mike Little, told Bales that Puig had a clean record, and although he didn't have proof of insurance when he was pulled over, he did have insurance, which he brought to court.
Puig, who attended the hearing, left immediately after it concluded.
Now he can focus on next week's National League Rookie of the Year announcement. He's one of three finalists for the award after hitting .319 with 19 home runs in 104 games.
