A Hofstra University basketball player was arrested Friday on marijuana possession charges after a traffic stop in Brooklyn, according to officials at the Kings County District Attorney’s office.
Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, 23, was driving a 2011 Nissan Maxima, when NYPD officers initiated a traffic stop early Friday. Officials said the officers pulled over Coombs-McDaniel after he passed by appearing to not be wearing a seatbelt.
Police allegedly found what appeared to be six marijuana cigars in his car during the stop, according to the district attorney’s office. The cigars were reportedly found in the cup holder of the vehicle.
Coombs-McDaniel is no stranger to controversy. He made headlines in April 2011 after being arrested on marijuana charges while attending the University of Connecticut. The Connecticut Post reported that UConn campus police found 5.6 ounces of marijuana and an assortment of drug paraphernalia in his dorm room, when he was arrested in 2011. He later entered a drug education program in exchange for a dismissal of the charges, the report said.
Earlier this year, Coombs-McDaniel was suspended for “violating team rules,” head coach Mo Cassara said at the time. The four-game suspension preceded a knee injury, which left Coombs-McDaniel benched for the remainder of the season.
He was charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession charges and arraigned Saturday in Brooklyn Criminal Court. Court records show that a pre-arraignment disposition was put into effect and the case has been adjourned in contemplation of dismissal. Essentially, if Coombs-McDaniel can abstain from contact with the criminal justice system, the charges will be dismissed. He is due for a compliance hearing on May 16.
Other Hofstra basketball players have been in the legal spotlight recently, as well. As Examiner.com reported in December, four players were arrested on felony burglary charges after police said they admitted to stealing more than $10,000 in electronics from dorm rooms across the campus.
As of press time, a Hofstra spokesperson could not be reached for comment on Coombs-McDaniel’s arrest.
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