An Iowa football recruit was arrested Monday and charged with four offenses — including possession of drug paraphernalia — according to court records.
Michael Malloy, a senior running back at Bishop Heelan High (Sioux City), had a warrant issued on Aug. 8 for his arrest for obstructing a peace officer, second-degree criminal trespass, driving without headlights, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He allegedly fled the scene when a South Sioux City (Neb.) police officer pulled him over for driving without headlights at night on July 31. He reportedly jumped a private fence, and police called the search off after approximately an hour, according to a police affidavit. Police later found a marijuana pipe in the car, the affidavit said.
Obstructing a peace officer is a Class I misdemeanor in the state of Nebraska and is punishable by a $1,000 fine and or a year in jail. Second-degree criminal trespass and driving without headlights are both Class III misdemeanors and are punishable by a $500 fine and or three months in jail.
Possession of drug paraphernalia is a civil infraction, and the first offense is punishable by a $100 fine.
Malloy turned himself in Monday and pleaded not guilty to all charges when he was arraigned at the Dakota County Courthouse (Neb.), a clerk confirmed. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Sept. 13, and a jury trial is slated for Oct. 13.
Malloy gave the Hawkeyes an oral commitment in July. Rivals.com lists him as a three-star recruit and the fifth-best prospect in the state of Iowa. He ran for 1,668 yards and 28 touchdowns as a junior in 2010.
Heelan has suspended him from extracurricular activities for 20 days for a violation of the school’s conduct code, according to Athletics Director Jason Pratt. The suspension is effective Thursday and will cause Malloy to miss the team’s first two games, though he’s still allowed to practice with the team.
Pratt said Malloy is "very disappointed" and he has been in contact with Iowa coaches regarding the incident. Iowa officials cannot comment publicly on the situation because Malloy has not yet signed a letter of intent, per NCAA rules.
Heelan is ranked No. 1 in the state in Iowa Sports Connection’s Class 3A preseason rankings. The Crusaders’ season-opener is tonight against Sioux City East.
