LINCOLN, Neb. -- Wide receiver Maurice Purify was suspended
indefinitely from the Nebraska football team Friday after his arrest on suspicion of drunken driving, his second run-in with law enforcement in five weeks.
A State Patrol trooper stopped Purify at 12:25 a.m. at the intersection of Cornhusker Highway and North First Street in Lincoln. Purify was observed driving 53 mph in a 40 mph zone and failing to use his turn signal, patrol spokeswoman Deb Collins said.
The 21-year-old Purify was taken to the Lincoln Detoxification
Center after being ticketed on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Collins said she didn't know Purify's blood-alcohol level at the time of his arrest.
"We are aware of Maurice's situation and we take it very seriously," coach Bill Callahan said. "I met with Maurice today and explained to him that he is indefinitely suspended from the team. At this point, his future status with our team is uncertain."
A call seeking comment from Purify's attorney, Jon Braaten of
Lincoln, was not immediately returned.
Purify had been charged with two counts of assault, resisting arrest, trespassing and failure to comply after a May 5 incident at a downtown bar. Purify was accused of throwing a man over a table, hitting him several times and striking the man's girlfriend.
Purify had been authorized to enter a pretrial diversion program in that case. City prosecutor John McQuinn said Friday afternoon that he hadn't seen paperwork on Purify's arrest, so he couldn't speculate how the arrest would affect the player's possible participation in diversion.
Purify, from Eureka, Calif., was Nebraska's second-leading receiver last season, catching 34 passes for 630 yards and seven touchdowns. He will be a senior in the fall.