A dismal offseason off the field for Western Kentucky continues, with a potential, or even likely, starter along the defensive line finding himself on the outside of the program looking in.
A WKU official confirmed Monday that Tanner Reeves has been dismissed from the team. While violating unspecified team rules is the generic reasoning, the Bowling Green Daily News reports that Reeves was arrested very early Sunday morning on charges of careless driving, operating on a suspended driver’s license and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol with aggravated circumstances.
From the Daily News’ report:The officer observed Reeves drive a 2007 GMC Yukon across the fog line on Nashville Road approaching the intersection of Nashville Road and Campbell Lane, per a police report.
Upon contact, the deputy detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Reeves’ person and vehicle. He was asked to exit the vehicle and conduct standardized field sobriety tests. During Reeves’ horizontal gaze nystagmus test, he displayed lack of smooth pursuit and maximum deviation. He used his arms to balance during the one-leg stand test. And Reeves failed to maintain the start position eight steps down during the walk and turn, according to the report.
Reeves consented to a preliminary breath test on scene, resulting in the presence of alcohol. Dispatch confirmed Reeves’ license to be suspended.
This was the fifth-year senior’s second brush with the law in less than a year, having been cited for disorderly conduct last October.
Reeves started five of the 14 games in which he played last season. He had been expected to start at one of the end positions for the Hilltoppers this season.
A week ago, WKU confirmed that three players — sophomore running back Quinton Baker, redshirt freshman wide receiver Xavier Lane and redshirt freshman linebacker Tyler Obee — have been suspended for the 2017 opener against Eastern Kentucky not long after pleading guilty to charges stemming from a frat house assault. The day before, starting cornerback De’Andre Simmons was lost for the entire season because of a knee injury.
The Hilltoppers were the media’s preseason favorite to win the East Division of Conference USA.