Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch pleaded not guilty to charges of driving under the influence of alcohol in Alameda County, Calif., Superior Court on Wednesday, said attorney Ivan Golde.
Golde moved Lynch’s arraignment date up from Aug. 14 to Wednesday. The attorney appeared in court for his client, who was not required to be present.
Golde said a status hearing for Lynch’s case has been scheduled for Sept. 27.
“We’re going to completely prove his innocence, no doubt about it,” Golde said. “It’s going to take some time to get all of the facts unraveled and do all of the investigation.
“This will not interfere with football in any way. This is an after-the-season issue.”
Lynch, 26, was arrested by the California Highway Patrol early July 14 when a police officer observed him driving north on Interstate 880 in Oakland, weaving in and out of lanes in a white Ford van and nearly colliding with two cars.
After failing a preliminary sobriety test, Lynch was taken into custody and transported to the Alameda County Sheriff Department’s north county jail in Oakland. Lynch submitted to a Breathalyzer test, and the test showed that his blood alcohol content level was over the state’s legal limit of 0.08.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against Lynch on July 18 for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Golde said Lynch’s blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.08, the precise number of California’s legal limit, during a preliminary alcohol screening test. Golde said the police officer at the scene administered a Breathalyzer test.
Golde said Lynch was retested at the jail about an hour later. He took another Breathalyzer test there, and his blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.10. Golde said he will argue the fact that Lynch’s blood-alcohol content level rose after the arrest shows it was not above the legal limit while he was driving.
SEAHAWKS SIGN WR
The Seahawks added depth to their unproven wide receiver unit by signing veteran Antonio Bryant.
The team announced the signing Thursday night.
Bryant had a tryout with the Seahawks during June’s minicamp. Coach Pete Carroll said he didn’t feel Bryant was in football shape then and wanted to see whether the veteran could get himself ready in the month between the June tryout and training camp.
Bryant has not played since the 2009 season with Tampa Bay. He signed a four-year, $28 million with Cincinnati before the 2010 season, but he was cut at the end of training camp and spent the past two seasons out of the NFL.
The Seahawks were looking for veteran wide receiver help after releasing Mike Williams. Free agent receiver Braylon Edwards worked out at the team’s facility Thursday before Bryant was signed.
Edwards, 29, played for San Francisco last year and finished with 15 catches for 181 yards in nine games, including five starts. However, Edwards had trouble staying healthy, and he was let go by San Francisco in December after being slowed by shoulder and knee issues.
The Seahawks also worked out former University of Washington safety Victor Aiyewa, according to the player’s Twitter page.
eric.williams@thenewstribune.com @eric_d_williams The Associated Press contributed to this report.