According to Travis County court filings, former Texas Longhorns linebacker S’Maje Burrell is facing a felony charge for allegedly causing the accident that led in former Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat’s April DWI arrest.
Burrell faces a third-degree felony charge for a collision that resulted in harm and failure to stop and offer aid. In Texas, that charge carries a maximum five-year prison sentence and a $5,000 fine.
Burrell allegedly crashed on the service road in the 13600 block of North Interstate 35 SB soon before 5 a.m. Central on April 7 while driving a 2020 Dodge Charger following Sweat’s 2023 Ford Bronco. According to a witness in the passenger seat of the Charger, Burrell rear-ended Sweat’s Bronco, causing it to land on its side and inflicting minor injuries on Sweat that lasted several days.
Sweat admitting to driving the Bronco, which had an odour of burnt marijuana, glazed eyes, poor balance, and a strong odour of alcohol. Sweat told officers he had two or three shots of tequila before driving. Sweat failed field sobriety tests, therefore a breath sample was taken and measured at.105, which was higher than the legal limit of.08. A blood sample was also drawn.
The passenger in Burrell’s Charger believes he fled the scene due to intoxication. Burrell’s father, Lorenzo, a Fort Worth Police Department officer, called APD about the crash more than 12 hours after it happened.
“We’re aware of the situation involving S’Maje Burrell and have suspended him indefinitely from all team activities for conduct detrimental to the program,” Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian stated in a statement sent by the school three days after the tragedy.
Following his ban, Burrell revealed that he had entered the NCAA transfer portal.
Burrell, a consensus four-star talent in the 2023 recruiting class out of Fort Worth North Crowley, was ranked No. 334 nationally and No. 29 linebacker by the 247Sports Composite. Burrell choose Texas over 25 other offers, including Florida, Florida State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and USC, among others.
The Tennessee Titans selected Sweat in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Burrell remains in the gateway and has yet to be apprehended.
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