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.

Katie Goodale

Iowa Wide Receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette dodges Northwestern’s Defensive Back Cameron Ruiz during the Iowa v Northwestern football game at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. The Wildcats defeated the Hawkeyes 21-20.

Robert Read, Pregame Editor


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.