Georgia Southern QB Shai Werts reinstated to team, has cocaine charges dropped (Updated)
UPDATE, 9 a.m. Aug. 9
The misdemeanor cocaine possession charges against Werts have been dropped.
Prosecutors dropped the charges on Thursday.
"There was no way to prove (Shai) had any idea what the substance on his car was,” the 11th District Solicitors Office told WJCL.
Dash cam video of Werts’ arrest was released earlier in the week and reveals officers’ reactions to what they saw on the hood of his car. Werts said the white substance that was on the hood of his car was bird poop, though police had said that the substance tested positive for cocaine in a field test.
The Savannah Morning News obtained the dash cam video and transcribed part of what happened during Werts’ arrest.
“What is the white stuff on the car? It’s everywhere,” Browder asked after opening the door to find a seemingly comfortable Werts.
“Bird s--t,” replied Werts to begin an exchange with Browder.
“Well, that’s a lot of bird s--t, man.”
“I know it’s a lot, it’s everywhere and I tried to clean it off last night (Tuesday, July 30). I play football sir, I play football at Georgia Southern. I don’t have no reason to lie about cocaine.”
Werts also said: “I promise you that’s bird doo-doo. I swear to God.”
In the background while that interaction was progressing, a second city cop jested at the new type of criminal case.
“A thousand birds, and they are all s------g cocaine. We’re developing some new case law here.”
The original story after Werts was reinstated to the team is below.
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Georgia Southern QB Shai Werts’ suspension didn’t last long. The team has reinstated Werts after he took and passed a school drug test.
Werts was suspended from the team indefinitely on Friday after he was arrested for cocaine possession in South Carolina on Wednesday. After he was pulled over for speeding, police noticed a substance on the hood of Werts’ car that he said was bird poop. Police said it tested positive for cocaine.
“Quarterback Shai Werts returned to practice today after submitting to, and passing, a drug test. Moving forward, Shai’s case will handled in accordance with the Georgia Southern Student-Athlete Code of Conduct.”
Werts was pulled over after he was allegedly clocked going 80 mph by police. Per the police report he called 911 and told dispatchers that he would pull over when he got to a more well-lit area. Then, when he was pulled over, the arrest for possession of less than one gram of cocaine happened.
Werts started 10 games in 2018 for Georgia Southern as the team went from 10 losses to 10 wins in the span of a season. He combined for 25 rushing and passing touchdowns and was the team’s second-leading rusher.
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports
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