Carolina Panther busted with pot while speeding, deputies say | Crime

ROWAN COUNTY - A member of the Carolina Panthers practice squad has been cited for drugs after deputies say they found him with marijuana after he was pulled over for speeding.

According to Chief David Ramsey with the Rowan County Sheriff's Office, 23-year-old Lawrence Jamal Wilson was pulled over by a deputy along Interstate 85 near the Innes Street intersection on Wednesday afternoon.

Ramsey says Wilson, a sixth round 2011 draft pick, was driving a gray Infiniti with Alabama plates when he was pulled for driving 76 miles per hour in a 65 mph-zone.

According to Ramsey, the deputy smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from Wilson's car and said there was marijuana visible on his shirt.

Wilson was asked to step out of the car and when the deputy placed the handcuff on one hand, Wilson reportedly began tensing up and struggled with the deputy. Chief Ramsey says other deputies arrived at the scene and the deputy was able to push Wilson down on the vehicle and get his second hand cuffed.  Wilson then began to cooperate with deputies, Ramsey told WBTV.

According to the report said, Wilson stated that he was on "a break from his job” and was headed to Virginia. The Carolina Panthers have a bye-week this weekend and do not have a game scheduled.

When deputies searched the vehicle they found 11 grams of marijuana, Ramsey told WBTV.

According to the report, Wilson began to cry and asked deputies what this would do to his career.

Wilson was signed to the practice squad on September 5th, according to the Carolina Panthers' website. He was given a citation for speeding and misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

Lawrence Wilson played as a linebacker for the University of Connecticut with a school-record 51 starts.  He earned first-team All-Big East Conference honors twice.