Police report reveals Tony Mitchell attempted to evade officers while traveling 141 mph prior to arrest
New details have come out on the arrest of Alabama freshman defensive back Tony Mitchell in Florida on Wednesday. According to the police report, Mitchell attempted to evade officers, reaching a speed of 141 miles per hour.
The report states that police first noticed Mitchell driving a Dodge Challenger traveling at 78 mph in a 55 mph zone. However, when police activated their lights to initiate a traffic stop, Mitchell claimed that the passenger in the vehicle, Christophere Lewis, told him to “punch it.”
Mitchell and Lewis were able to escape police briefly as a result. However, just 15 minutes after the initial encounter, they were spotted again and this time pulled over.
Police discovered eight ounces of marijuana in the vehicle, along with scales, $7,040 in cash and a loaded gun. The gun was determined not to belong to Mitchell, and he was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell and/or distribute. Both Mitchell and Lewis were taken to Holmes County Jail.
Mitchell played high school football at Alabaster (AL) Thompson, where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 116 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
Nick Saban announces suspension of Tony Mitchell
Just days after the incident, head coach Nick Saban announced Mitchell has been suspended from the team. Saban wants more information on the situation to be released, before discussing there is “no such thing” as being in the “wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Tony Mitchell has been suspended from the team and all team activities until we gather more information on the situation and what his legal circumstance is,” Saban said in a Monday press conference. “Everybody has the opportunity to make choices and decisions. There’s no such thing in being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“You got to be responsible for who you’re with, who you’re around, and what you do. Who you associate yourself with and the situation you put yourself in. It is what it is but there is cause and effect when you make choice and decisions that put you in bad situations.”
Alabama released its 2023 spring roster on Monday, where Mitchell is still listed. His full bio is online as the freshman defensive back will wear No. 27 if/when he returns to team activities. For now, he will stay off the field as everyone involved in the situation waits for the legal process to play out.
On3’s Griffin McVeigh contributed to this report.