Steve Foley (linebacker)

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Steve Foley
'
Position(s):
Outside linebacker		 Jersey #(s):
53
Born: September 11, 1975 (1975-09-11) (age 32)
Little Rock, Arkansas
Career Information
Year(s): 1998–2006
NFL Draft: 1998 / Round: 3 / Pick: 75
College: UL Monroe
Professional Teams
Career Stats
Tackles     274
Sacks     25
Interceptions     3
Stats at NFL.com
Career Highlights and Awards
  • No notable achievements

Steve Foley (born September 11, 1975 in Little Rock, Arkansas) is a professional American football linebacker, currently a free agent, who was most recently released by the San Diego Chargers on March 1, 2007.

Contents

[edit] High School Years

Foley attended Hall High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. In football, he was an All-Conference selection, All-State selection, and an All-American selection at both, tight end and linebacker.

[edit] Shooting Incident

On September 3, 2006, Foley was shot outside his house by off-duty police officer Aaron Mansker after Mansker observed Foley driving erratically at speeds ranging from 30 mph to 90 mph on a San Diego freeway. Mansker, wearing civilian clothes, followed Foley onto a local side street and identified himself as a police officer (but later testified he did not show him his badge[1]) to no avail with Foley, who got out of the car to threaten Mansker, then returned back to his vehicle and continued driving. When Foley reached his home street he again exited his car and advanced on Mansker. Foley's passenger, Lisa Gaut, got into the driver's side and began to rev the vehicle.[2] Gaut then drove the vehicle around Foley and toward Mansker, who fired two shots into the vehicle's hood in what he claims was self defense.[2] Foley continued to advance and Mansker, feeling threatened, fired a warning shot into the dirt, later testifying that he did so because earlier in the confrontation Foley had stated that he did not believe the gun was real.[2] Mansker then saw Foley reach into his waistband and reacted by shooting Foley in the knee. Foley still continued to advance, causing Mansker to fire three more times.[3] Foley was taken to a local hospital where the wounds were found to be non-life threatening. He was placed on the non-football injury list the following day and did not play during the 2006 NFL Season, forfeiting his $775,000 salary for the season.[4][5] The incident occurred a week after Foley was cleared of multiple charges that included resisting arrest and battery of an officer. Foley was under the influence of alcohol as he was spotted staggering out of the San Diego nightclub Stingaree about half an hour before the officer spotted him and was found later to have had a blood-alcohol level of .233, three times the legal limit of .08 (though prosecutors and Foley's defense attorneys have agreed on .16[6]). Foley had been there with fellow teammates following a Chargers team dinner and was spotted swaying around the club, hitting on waitresses. His passenger in the car was a woman he had met a few nights earlier and called to meet him at the club.[7]

On October 11, 2006, Foley was charged by prosecutors with two counts of driving under the influence.[8] On May 3, 2007, Foley pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, a misdemeanor, and was given 5 years of informal probation, meaning he does not have to check in with a probation officer.[6] His passenger, Lisa Gaut, was convicted on April 26, 2007 on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor drunken driving for her role in the incident[9] and was sentenced to 180 days in jail with the possibility of a work furlough.[10]

In accordance with the policy of the Coronado police department, Mansker was placed on administrative leave[11] and was reinstated to full duty in January 2007.[3] On December 14, 2007, the San Diego District Attorney declared the shooting legal.[12] Mansker was later awarded by Mothers Against Drunk Driving as Coronado's Outstanding DUI Officer of the Year for having made 57 drunken-driving arrests during 2007.[13]

[edit] Lawsuit against the city of Coronado

On January 31, 2007, Foley announced that he was suing the city of Coronado and Aaron Mansker in a civil negligence claim. The complaint does not specify specific damages, only seeking to reclaim medical expenses and "the loss of past and future earnings."[14] The American Civil Liberties Union has been outspoken in criticizing the San Diego District Attorney's handling of the case.[15]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Kucher, Karen. "Officer who shot Foley testifies he never showed badge", San Diego Union Tribune, 2006-10-18. Retrieved on 2007-03-17. 
  2. ^ a b c News Services, SignOnSanDiego. "Officer who shot Foley testifies pair had him 'cornered'", San Diego Union Tribune, 2007-04-10. Retrieved on 2007-04-11. 
  3. ^ a b Littlefield, Dana. "Files of officer who shot Foley will be kept closed", San Diego Union Tribune, 2007-03-17. Retrieved on 2007-03-17. 
  4. ^ "Chargers' Foley to miss season", NFL.com wire reports, 2006-09-04. Retrieved on 2007-03-17. 
  5. ^ Wilson, Bernie. "Chargers release McCardell, Foley, Kiel", San Diego Union Tribune, 2007-03-01. Retrieved on 2007-03-02. 
  6. ^ a b Kucker, Karen. "Ex-Bolt Foley pleads guilty to misdemeanor", San Diego Union Tribune, 2007-05-03. Retrieved on 2007-05-03. 
  7. ^ Davis, Kristina. "Affidavit: Foley was intoxicated", San Diego Union Tribune, 2006-09-15. Retrieved on 2007-03-02. 
  8. ^ Littlefield, Dana. "Football player is charged with DUI", San Diego Union Tribune, 2006-10-12. Retrieved on 2007-03-02. 
  9. ^ Martinez, Angelica. "Gaut convicted of assault with a deadly weapon", San Diego Union Tribune, 2007-04-26. Retrieved on 2007-04-26. 
  10. ^ Littlefield, Dana. "Gaut gets 180 days in jail, could do time in work furlough", San Diego Union Tribune, 2007-06-22. Retrieved on 2007-06-22. 
  11. ^ Branscomb, Leslie Wolf. "Chargers' Foley recovering", San Diego Union Tribune, 2006-09-05. Retrieved on 2007-03-02. 
  12. ^ Farr Baker, Debi. "Shooting of linebacker Foley by cop was legal, DA says", San Diego Union Tribune, December 14, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-12-14. 
  13. ^ Arner, Mark. "Cop who shot Chargers linebacker honored for making DUI arrests", San Diego Union Tribune, March 17, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-03-18. 
  14. ^ Gross, Greg. "Foley sues Coronado, cop who shot him", San Diego Union Tribune, 2007-01-31. Retrieved on 2007-01-31. (English) 
  15. ^ ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties: News & Events