Cowboys’ Randle arrested after marijuana found
Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle was cited by Wichita, Kan., police for marijuana possession on Tuesday.
Randle was arrested in his hometown on suspicion of having a “small amount of green botanical substance,” according to a police report obtained by the Star-Telegram. The report later mentions one gram of marijuana.
The Cowboys have not commented on the matter.
Wichita police Lt. James Espinoza said that around 3 a.m. Tuesday police responded to “a domestic violence with a weapon call” made by a 22-year-old female involving a 23-year-old male [Randle] at a downtown hotel room.
While investigating the incident, police discovered the marijuana. They detained and issued a citation to Randle, the person who rented the room. Randle did not go to jail for the incident, and a mug shot was not taken.
But, Espinoza said, “it is considered an arrest.”
Randle will have to appear in front of a judge in about three weeks for the citation. He can’t simply go to the courthouse and pay it as he would a speeding ticket, Espinoza said.
No weapon was found on the scene, Espinoza said. The drug charge is all Randle faces, but police are continuing to investigate the domestic violence report.
Randle’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, posted on Twitter about the incident:
“There was zero “violence” of any kind, domestic or otherwise. He was asking 3 ppl to exit his room, who didn’t want to leave. It was loud. Cops were called. Ticket issued. People and officer left. He went to bed.”
Randle graduated from Wichita Southeast High School before playing at Oklahoma State.
This incident comes after Randle was arrested in a Frisco mall on a charge of misdemeanor theft in October, stealing underwear and cologne from a department store.
Randle called that incident “the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life.”
“I have never got in any kind of trouble my whole life,” Randle said in October. “This is just something I have to learn from and move forward.”
The Cowboys said in October they would fine Randle “significantly” for the incident, but didn’t suspend him.
Randle rushed for 343 yards and three touchdowns on 51 carries last season for the Cowboys, serving as DeMarco Murray’s primary backup. The second-year pro out of Oklahoma State is a candidate to become the team’s No. 1 back should Murray leave in free agency.
Or maybe now it becomes Randle was a candidate to replace Murray as the team’s top running back. The Cowboys have to question whether they can trust Randle to become the focal point of the offense after a second legal issue in five months.
Randle didn’t have any legal run-ins during his rookie season, but was known to miss team meetings. All of this could end up forcing the Cowboys to look elsewhere should they lose Murray.
The Cowboys have other internal options, including Ryan Williams, who spent last season on the practice squad and signed a two-year futures’ deal this off-season.
And the draft is deep with running back talent ranging from Georgia’s Todd Gurley to Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon to Minnesota’s David Cobb.
With another strike against Randle, one has to wonder how many more he will get.
Drew Davison, 817-390-7760
This story was originally published February 4, 2015 at 11:24 AM with the headline "Cowboys’ Randle arrested after marijuana found."