Clemson’s Fred Davis faces ‘lots of consequences’ after wreck and arrest, Dabo says
Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney said sophomore cornerback Fred Davis will have to deal with “lots of consequences ... for a long, long time” after being charged with reckless driving following an accident that left a mail carrier seriously injured.
Davis was arrested, then released, on Sunday after police said probable cause was found to charge him in the incident. Swinney spoke Friday for the first time about what happened.
“We had one incredibly unfortunate situation with Fred Davis last month,” Swinney said. “I’m thankful to the good Lord and all those people, the responders that were on the scene there that what was an incredibly serious situation didn’t become tragic.”
Reports indicated that on the afternoon of July 21, Davis was going 115 mph in a 55 mph zone in a black Dodge Charger going southbound on Highway 123 before Highway 93. He left 290 feet of skid marks before colliding with a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier truck at 70 mph, Clemson police said. The truck was still in motion at the time of the crash.
The USPS driver, who was found hanging upside down partially outside of the truck and still buckled, was transported to Greenville Memorial Hospital, police said. Davis gave responding police officers a written statement before complaining of a leg injury, according to police. He was then transported to Oconee Medical Center.
“This is not of his character,” Swinney said. “I’m incredibly disappointed in his decision-making. It’s that simple. Just a poor decision. He’s going to deal with lots of consequences.”
In his debut season with the Tigers, the Florida native recorded 13 tackles and two pass breakups in 11 games played. He was listed as a potential starter this year on Clemson’s pre-fall camp depth chart.
Swinney was speaking Friday ahead of Clemson’s first preseason practice. Afterward, Davis was present and working out with the Tigers.
“We’ve got policies in place from a university standpoint when it comes to misdemeanor charges and things like that,” Swinney said. “We’ll handle his discipline from an internal standpoint, but he’ll have consequences from this for a long, long time. ... His team discipline has already started and will continue today.”
This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 3:48 PM with the headline "Clemson’s Fred Davis faces ‘lots of consequences’ after wreck and arrest, Dabo says."
