DUI charges against Georgia running back Trevor Etienne were dropped Wednesday afternoon, according to the Athens Banner-Herald. Etienne also pled no contest to a reckless driving charge and guilty to underage possession of alcohol, failure to maintain lane and a window tint violation. The hearing took place in an Athens courtroom Wednesday morning.
The charges stem from an arrest on March 24, where Etienne was booked at 4:35 a.m. and released on a $1,838 bond at 5:27 a.m. per the Athens Clarke County jail log. He is one of several Bulldogs to receive charges related to driving this offseason.
Head coach Kirby Smart said he was disappointed in Etienne’s decision but knows the mistake will not define him.
“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know him,” Smart said in March. “He’s a bright kid, and we push him hard out there. He really loves the competition, but as we also know, sometimes kids don’t make the best decisions.”
Etienne transferred to Georgia after two seasons at Florida. In 2023, he ran for 753 yards on 131 carries and led the Gators with eight rushing touchdowns. Etienne is expected to garner a majority of carries for the Bulldogs this season.
Per ESPN, Georgia’s athletic department policy is players found guilty of DUI must miss 10% of the team’s season. For the Bulldogs’ 12-game schedule, it would equate to a one-game suspension for Etienne. However, with the charges dropped, his status is still uncertain.
“The university discipline is going to take its course as well as what he has to have consequences for his actions from the team,” Smart said after the initial arrest. “So both those things will play out as we gather more information.”
Georgia opens its season Aug. 31 against Clemson in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.