Lady Vols player Zee Spearman was charged with DUI before the 2025-26 season even kicked off, and while that specific charge eventually got dropped, the details of her arrest are absolutely wild. Forget the court outcome for a second, because what went down that night gives us a serious look into what was happening off the court.
The Night Everything Went Sideways
Picture this: It’s 1:10 a.m. on June 13, 2025. Spearman gets pulled over by a Gwinnett County officer because her Chevrolet Malibu was absolutely flying down the highway. The officer pegged her at an estimated 100 mph in a 55 mph zone, though Spearman herself told him she was only going 75 mph when she last checked. That’s a huge difference, and right there, you know this isn’t just a casual traffic stop. The report noted a “strong odor” of alcohol from the driver’s side, Spearman’s speech was slow, and her walk was described as “very unsteady” when she got out of the car. Her breath had that “strong odor” too. She admitted to coming from an Atlanta club but couldn’t even name the place, saying she only had “one margarita.” Come on, really?
It gets crazier. Spearman didn’t pass several field sobriety tests. Her blood alcohol content was 0.104% at the scene, which is well over the legal limit of 0.08%. A state chemical test later showed it at 0.073%, just under the limit. But wait, there’s more: the officer also smelled marijuana in the car. When confronted, Spearman casually mentioned she had smoked at 10 a.m. that day. She consented to a search, and what did the officer find? A bottle of Don Julio tequila on the floor with “a measurable amount of liquid” in it. Oh, and a “case for storing and rolling marijuana blunts.” She then admitted to smoking “two grams a day,” and claimed she had smoked three grams that specific day. Swaying, incorrect steps, starting too soon on tests, not following instructions… it all points to significant impairment.
The Outcome and What It Tells Us
So, what happened with the charges? Spearman pled guilty to reckless driving on February 9, receiving probation, community service, and a substance abuse evaluation. That original DUI charge? It got dropped. For a player who played in all 30 of Tennessee’s games last season, and was not publicly suspended after this incident, it’s a head-scratcher. Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell was aware of the arrest, but any discipline wasn’t made public.
It’s a stark contrast to the situation with former Lady Vols guard Ruby Whitehorn, who was dismissed after two arrests in less than three months. Whitehorn faced felony charges for a domestic dispute, pleaded guilty to misdemeanors, was reinstated after a suspension, but then dismissed on November 2 after a simple possession charge. The team acknowledged Whitehorn’s dismissal. With Spearman, it seems the team handled things very differently, or at least kept it out of the public eye. Now, Spearman’s playing in the startup Upshot League for the Savannah Ste, which makes you wonder about the whole path that led her there.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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