Riders' Charleston Hughes won't play Saturday following DUI arrest
Hughes charged with impaired driving, failing to provide breath sample
Despite initial reports saying otherwise, the Saskatchewan Roughriders organization has announced that defensive end Charleston Hughes will not play in Saturday's game against the Calgary Stampeders.
This comes after Hughes was arrested and charged Oct. 11 with impaired driving and failing to provide a breath sample for analysis.
Saskatchewan Roughriders club said Friday that it decided to remove Hughes from the active roster and has imposed the maximum disciplinary fine allowed under the collective bargaining agreement.
The club said it gathered its own information on the incident, reviewed its team rules and the CFL's collective bargaining agreement on player discipline.
"While the legal proceedings are still ongoing, the incident of Oct. 11 reflects negatively on the Saskatchewan Roughriders Football Club," a spokesperson said in a statement. "By refusing to provide a breath sample, Hughes demonstrated behaviour directly in conflict with the club's values and expectations — which include respecting police and police procedures."
Head coach and GM Chris Jones told reporters in Regina on Thursday that Hughes, who has a CFL-best 15 sacks this season, would suit up for the game.
Hughes played in Saskatchewan's 31-0 loss to Winnipeg two days after his arrest, registering two tackles.
He spoke to reporters in Regina on Wednesday, after being charged.
"I apologize to my teammates, you know, my fans and, you know, the staff within [the] organization," Hughes said "And um, you know, it's kind of embarrassing to go through a situation like this."
Hughes was arrested at 2 a.m. CST on Oct. 11 near the North Albert Street overpass on the Ring Road. He was allegedly behind the wheel of a running vehicle and did not respond when police attempted to rouse him.
"Charleston's human and he made a huge mistake," Jones said Wednesday. "We certainly don't condone it, we think of the offence very seriously."
"We're certainly not going to just throw out one of our own but at the same time he's got to understand that it's a very serious offence."
Hughes is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 31.