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Seahawks FB Derrick Coleman arrested, suspended after car accident

By Danny Kelly
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

UPDATE 2:45 PM:

Not a whole lot of new information from the Derrick Coleman arrest press conference by the Bellevue Police, but here's what we know.

-- Coleman hit another vehicle from behind at a "very high rate of speed." Other care flew up an embankment and landed upside down, Coleman's truck turned onto its side.

-- Coleman got out and left the scene on foot (barefoot). Eyewitness accounts differ as to whether he ran or walked away. Regardless, leaving the scene is a crime, and that's going to be the focus of the investigation.

-- BPD would not disclose the results of the field sobriety test. Said bloodwork was taken and the results there will help the Prosecutor's Office decide whether or not to press charges.

-- Coleman was still in custody as of 2pm.

-- We won't likely hear a whole lot more about this until the investigation concludes. The PD will re-create the scene in an attempt to determine how fast Coleman was going.

More info here.

KOMO news released video from the interview after the accident.

In that video, Coleman states that "the last thing" he remembers "was turning right" onto the street on which the accident occurred. My first thought here was that perhaps Coleman hit his head in the accident and was experiencing memory loss due to that. Coleman's attorney's asserted the same thing.

"Our belief is there is a concussion involved," said attorney Diego Vargas, "He did not knowingly leave the accident."

Coleman's other lawyer, Stephen Hayne, echoed this.

"When I met with him in the jail - obviously the concern was, 'Was he under the influence of alcohol or drugs?' " Hayne said. "And after a lengthy discussion with him it was apparent he was not in any way. We fully expect that the blood-test results in this case will confirm that in fact he was not under the influence of any illegal substance, alcohol, drugs, anything like that. We believe it was simply an accident one from which there was a natural investigation on the part of the Bellevue Police, but in the end we believe the evidence will fully exonerate Derrick."

Coleman's attorney's also noted that Coleman's hearing aids were knocked loose in the crash, which could've added confusion to an already shocking situation. Coleman has been legally deaf since the age of 3.

----

Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman was arrested Wednesday night on investigation for vehicular assault and felony hit and run. The Seahawks have suspended Coleman indefinitely pending investigation into the incident.

Coleman, according to the jail-booking report, was driving in the 13600 block of Southeast 36th Street when his Dodge truck struck a Honda Civic, apparently injuring the other driver. Coleman got out of his vehicle and at some point, walked away from the scene. He was found nearby shortly later, where he was given a field sobriety test. There's no indication that he failed that test and there's no mention of intoxication in the report, per The Seattle Times. The other driver appears to have broken a collarbone in the accident. Coleman was denied bail.

Coleman's agent, Mark Bloom issued a statement to KOMO News:

On the evening of October 15, 2015, Seattle Seahawk Fullback Derrick Coleman, Jr. was involved in a two-car collision soon after leaving a team meeting. While the facts of the case are still being determined, it seems Derrick may have fallen asleep while driving home from a Seahawks' facility.

The health and well-being of all involved is our primary concern, and we are thankful to report that both parties are expected to make a full recovery. We will continue to work closely with the local officials while a full investigation is being conducted.

There are more images of the crash scene here.

The Seahawks have two fullbacks on their roster, so in his absence, expect to see more of Will Tukuafu.

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