Penn State football DE charged with DUI after positive marijuana test

Penn State football defensive end Amin Vanover is facing two misdemeanor counts of DUI after testing positive for marijuana early last month. The Nittany Lions defender was officially charged on Monday.

First reported by Bret Pallotto of the Centre Daily Times on Tuesday afternoon, authorities say Vanover was stopped by police for an expired tag near the intersection of Waupelani Drive and O’Bryan Lane in State College in early August. An officer reported smelling marijuana coming from the car, and a subsequent blood test showed Vanonver had marijuana in his system.

According to the report, the defensive end claimed to the police that his friends had been smoking marijuana in the vehicle, and the odor was coming from his clothing. The officer, however, noted Vanover’s bloodshot eyes and that the Nittany Lion defender looked “sleepy.”

In addition to the two misdemeanor DUI counts, Amin Vanover was also charged with a summary offense for the unregistered vehicle. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, October 2, three days before Penn State football faces UCLA in Beaver Stadium.

Vanover has played in both games for the Nittany Lions so far this season. He tallied two tackles against West Virginia but did not have a recordable stat last Saturday against Bowling Green.

In his last season of eligibility, Amin Vanover appeared in eight games last fall. James Franklin will address the media for the first time since the news broke tonight following the Nittany Lions’ practice. Penn State football is on a bye this weekend, and will host Kent State on September 21.

“I think Amin Vanover is a pretty cool story for us. I think he’s going to have a huge year for us,” Franklin said of Vanover following April’s Blue-White Game. “He’s a guy, in my opinion, who’s done it the right way. It hasn’t always been easy for him or us. His journey has been challenging at times, and he’s really stuck it out and just got better and better and better. I’m really proud of Amin.”

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