Garcia Suspended for Rest of Semester
(Columbia) -- South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier says freshman quarterback Stephen Garcia will not participate in spring practice, after being arrested twice in recent weeks.
Spurrier says Stephen Garcia is suspended from all football activities for the rest of the semester.
The coach says he hopes Stephen Garcia can improve his personal life and become a successful student athlete at South Carolina.
Stephen Garcia issued the below statement Monday admitting he damaged a visiting professor's car and asked the victim and Spurrier to forgive him.
Coach Steve Spurrier released a statement Monday evening regarding Gamecock quarterback Stephen Garcia's second arrest in as many weeks.
The head ball coach sent out this statement:
"We are hoping and believing that Stephen Garcia has learned some lessons and will change his personal life to be able to reach his potential as a student-athlete at South Carolina."
The quarterback is apologizing for his recent arrest.
Stephen Garcia admitted damaging a visiting professor's car and asked the victim and head football coach Steve Spurrier to forgive him.
"I want to publicly apologize to Mr. Biggs, Coach Spurrier, my teammates, the USC fans and the entire University of South Carolina. I do not make any excuses for my conduct, I am committed to changing my behavior and making positive contributions to the community," Stephen Garcia said in his statement released Monday through his attorney, Neal Lourie.
Stephen Garcia is accused of keying the car of Adam Biggs, a professor at Claflin University who was visiting USC last Thursday.
According to Biggs' statement to police, he confronted a man who identified himself as Stephen Garcia. According to Biggs, Stephen Garcia offered to pay $500 for the damage when he threatened to call police.
Stephen Garcia was arrested Saturday.
Stephen Garcia's attorney Neal Lourie says he wants to get the 19-year-old Florida native's court date this week on an earlier charge moved so both matters can be handled at the same time.
Stephen Garcia was arrested February 19th on charges of drunkenness and failing to stop for a police officer. He was placed on suspension by USC, but it was lifted after two days.
Stephen Garcia was one of the top quarterback recruits in the nation for 2007, and is considered one of the stars of the Gamecocks' recruiting class this year.
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