Former Syracuse University lacrosse player Kevin Drew pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated on Tuesday.

Standing next to his parents, Drew pleaded guilty before City Judge Vanessa Bogan. The judge sentenced him to a one-year conditional discharge, ordered Drew to pay a $500 fine, revoked his driver’s license for six months and ordered him to have an interlock device on any car he owns or drives during his conditional discharge.

Drew, a senior midfielder on the SU lacrosse team this past season, was arrested on Oct. 24 after crashing a car owned by SU head coach John Desko into a parked car, leading police on a chase and refusing to cooperate with police. He was suspended from the lacrosse team the day after his arrest and withdrew from the university before returning to school and the team in January.

Drew sat out the first two games of the season but played in the final 15, registering seven goals and three assists.

Bogan also wanted to make sure the owners of the two cars involved in the accident received proper restitution. Defense lawyer Gary Sommer and Assistant District Attorney Romana Lavalas told the judge the issues were resolved.

The conversations between Bogan, Drew, his parents and Sommer were inaudible at times from the spectator section of the courtroom, but Bogan asked Drew how he got to this point in his life and what his future holds.

Bogan was adamant in explaining to Drew the consequences of drinking. His efforts will ‘all fall apart’ and ‘bad things will happen’ if he drinks again, she said. After the sentencing, Bogan wished Drew good luck in his future. She told him he can’t let anyone down.

Sommer said Drew had a ‘severe drinking problem,’ but is doing his best to combat his disease.

Drew has been sober for 225 days, Sommer said, and has done everything possible to address the problem. Drew has participated in a 28-day in-patient treatment program, a continuing outpatient treatment program and attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, Sommer said.

He also said that of all the young adults he has represented with a substance abuse problem, Drew has done the most to address the issue.

Drew’s parents, who were with him in the courtroom, are 100 percent behind their son, Sommer said. They understand the problems Drew developed, but maintain that their son is still a good kid who has made some mistakes.

Drew will return to SU for his final semester, Sommer said, to make up for the time lost after dropping out last year for an emergency medical withdrawal. He will not play lacrosse for the Orange.

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Published on June 5, 2012 at 12:00 pm

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