Former Bulldog Football Player on Trial

Fresno, CA (KFSN) -- A former Bulldog Football Player on his way to the NFL is now on trial for driving under the influence. Jason Shirley was arrested last year for crashing into an apartment complex.

Shirley listened as the prosecutor laid out the case against him. Shirley is accused of crashing into an apartment in October. The crash tore through a bathroom being used by Jason Sanchez. Sanchez is a witness in the case. He told Action News, the force pushed him off the toilet. Investigators said Shirley was drunk that night.

During opening statements, Prosecutor William Terrence said, "After the car smacked into the building, the defendant didn't get out, write his insurance information or his number to reconcile the damage. Instead, the defendant simply drove away."

Shirley was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the NFL draft. His defense attorney Chuck Magill said Shirley was not drunk. Magill claimed the former bulldog suffered a concussion three days before the accident. He said, "It explains his conduct with something that's not criminal. It explains the conduct of backing into a building as an explanation not that he was under the influence of alcohol but he was under the influence of the concussion."

The defense asked jurors to listen to all the evidence before reaching a verdict. It's a decision that could impact Shirley's NFL career. If convicted, Shirley could face up to a year in jail.

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