Though Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew wasn't actually charged with anything for an incident last month in St. Augustine when he allegedly struck a restaurant security guard, he still sounded contrite about becoming a distraction for his team.
He shouldn’t have to worry about it anymore, because the state attorney’s office won’t be charging Jones-Drew with a crime after all.
That's great news for Jones-Drew, who said this in the face of the possibility that he might be charged with battery:
“This is a big distraction, and I never wanted it to be that,” he said. “I never want to be a distraction to this team, period. … About the attention on it, I'm obviously disappointed in that. Not only has it affected the team, it's affected my family.”
Jones-Drew had been accused of hitting security guard Kasim Howard at the Conch House Restaurant in St. Augustine during Memorial Day weekend. Soon after, two lawyers came forward to say they had video surveillance from that night showing Jones-Drew’s involvement. Here's some of that video, via CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman.
The lawyers also said Howard was "viciously attacked and severely injured."
But it wasn’t enough to satisfy state prosecutors.
State's news release: "Based on the facts and the law, State cannot establish the charge beyond and to the exclusion of reasonable doubt."
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) June 25, 2013
Jones-Drew is attempting to come back from the most disappointing season of his career after he missed 10 games and rushed for just 414 yards.
