Iowa football player Ihmir Smith-Marsette arrested for OWI
Smith-Marsette was traveling 74 mph in a 30 mph zone and blew a 0.13 in his blood-alcohol test.
November 1, 2020
Iowa football player Ihmir Smith-Marsette was arrested for operating while intoxicated in Iowa City only hours after the team’s 21-20 loss to Northwestern.
At 1:27 a.m. Sunday, Smith-Marsette, 21, was pulled over at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Myrtle Avenue by Iowa City Police and was later jailed, according to a police report. Smith-Marsette was clocked going 74 mph in a 30 mph zone in a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro and blew a 0.13 on a blood-alcohol test. The legal limit in Iowa is 0.08 percent. KCJJ Radio first reported the arrest.
In the police report, the arresting officer said he stopped Smith-Marsette for excessive speeding.
“The defendant had bloodshot, watery eyes, impaired speech, and smelled of alcohol,” the police report says.
This is Smith-Marsette’s first OWI offense, according to the police report. Smith-Marsette was taken to Johnson County jail. Smith-Marsette wasn’t listed on the county’s jail roster — which indicates who has recently been booked in the jail — as of Sunday morning.
The Daily Iowan’s request for comment from Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz was not immediately returned. It is not yet clear what discipline Smith-Marsette will face from the team.
Smith-Marsette’s arrest came after he caught a career-high seven passes for 84 yards against Northwestern. The Hawkeyes fell to 0-2 on the season after blowing an early 17-0 lead.
The senior wide receiver has played in 39 games in his Iowa career and has 92 receptions for 1,354 yards. In Iowa’s Holiday Bowl victory last season, Smith-Marsette was the offensive MVP after scoring three total touchdowns. Smith-Marsette has 15 touchdowns in his Hawkeye career.