Alabama Suspends Defensive Back Tony Mitchell after Arrest

Tony Mitchell – Photo from Holmes County, Florida Sheriff’s Office

The University of Alabama has suspended defensive back Tony Mitchell following his arrest on drug and weapon charges in Florida.

On March 15, deputies with the Holmes County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office say they conducted a traffic stop involving a vehicle driven by Mitchell. Deputies say he had a passenger riding with him, Christophere Lewis of Valley Grande.

According to the sheriff’s office report, a deputy spotted Mitchell’s black Dodge Challenger traveling 78 mph in a 55 mph zone on a rural highway north of Bonifay and attempted to pull the vehicle over. The deputy reported that the Challenger accelerated to over 141 mph and the deputy discontinued pursuit after several miles. Less than 10 minutes later, the deputy spotted the Challenger again while sitting at an intersection in Bonifay. The deputy activated the patrol car’s lights and resumed pursuit. The Challenger eventually pulled into a residential area and stopped.

The sheriff’s office says deputies detected the odor of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle. When asked if there was marijuana in the vehicle, deputies say Mitchell produced a bag of marijuana from the passenger floorboard.

Both Mitchell and Lewis were taken into custody.

Christophere Lewis – Photo from Holmes County, Florida Sheriff’s Office

Deputies say a search of the vehicle produced an additional significant amount of marijuana, a set of scales, a loaded handgun  and a large amount of cash.

The arrest report says deputies recovered 8 ounces of marijuana, $7,040 in cash, a set of scales and a loaded 9mm handgun.

Mitchell is charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to sell and/or deliver. Lewis is charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to sell and/or deliver, and carrying a concealed firearm without a permit.

Alabama head football coach Nick Saban said Monday after the first practice of spring that Mitchell was suspended from the team “and all team activities until we gather more information about the situation and what his legal circumstance is.”

“Everybody’s got an opportunity to make choices and decisions,” Saban said. “There’s no such thing as being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You’ve gotta be responsible for who you’re with, who you’re around and what you do, who you associate yourself with and the situations that you put yourself in. It is what it is, but there is cause and effect when you make choices and decisions that put you in bad situations.”

Evidence that Holmes County, Florida Sheriff’s deputies say they seized in traffic stop on March 15 – Photo from Holmes County, Florida Sheriff’s Office

Mitchell, who is from Alabaster, was a five-star prospect rated the 34th-best player and No. 3 safety in the 247Composite rankings.

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