More Car Trouble for Davies

New Hampshire Soccer Star in Trouble After Speeding Switch

By Michael Jones

Just a year after almost losing his life in a car crash, New Hampshire native Charlie Davies is in more car trouble, this time, in France, and this time facing the possibility of serving jail time.

On October 3rd, Davies was cited for speeding by French police for driving teammate Jacques Faty's Audi Q7 at 125 mph in the early hours of the morning near the town of Dole in eastern France.

Photo by Chris Aduama

For fans who have followed Davies' year-long recovery from an accident last October in which 22-year-old Ashley J. Roberta was killed, it seemed incomprehensible that the US National team star could be so reckless.

It now seems that he wasn't, and that he merely "took the fall" for his friend by switching seats with Taty and admitting to the offense when he, in fact, had merely been a passenger in the car.

Taty has now admitted that he was the one who was driving but that may not be the end of the story. According to reports in the French newspaper Le Progres, switching seats and making false statements to the police constitutes a criminal offense that could lead to up to six months in prison and 7,500-euro ($10,400) fine for both players.

It all started when the players' club Sochaux defeated Lens 3-0 and the team was given a few days off. Davies decided to fly back to Boston but, since he doesn't drive in France, he asked for a ride to Paris from Faty.

Davies told the Associated Press that he was lying down in the passenger seat and was not aware how fast they were traveling. When the police stopped them, Taty panicked because he believed that his license was suspended from a previous speeding infraction.

Taty managed to convince a reluctant Davies that the American would merely receive a fine, while Taty, who is French born, but a Senegalese international, would likely face prison.

At the time of writing this story, French authorities were still working on the assumption that Davies was driving and have fined him $1,040 and suspended his driving license. Given that the prospect of admitting to the switch is potentially a much harsher punishment, Davies may be best advised to let the matter rest there.

Davies starred at Boston College and was a rising star of the U.S. national team when he violated a curfew the night before the US National team's final World Cup qualifying game against Costa Rica last October.

The accident that happened that night sliced the SUV he was riding in in half, took the life of Ms. Roberta, and robbed Davies of a chance to play in the World Cup in South Africa. He has now resumed training with Sochaux, and is playing with the reserves, but he has yet to regain his place in the first team.