[LESSON4U]

Notre Dame QB Clausen Cited For Transporting Alcohol
Clausen was cited for a misdemeanor citation
Aug. 20, 2007


SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Freshman Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen has entered a pretrial diversion program after receiving a misdemeanor citation for transporting alcohol as a minor, a newspaper reports.



Indiana State Excise Police cited Clausen and a 23-year-old on June 23 outside a liquor store near the University of Notre Dame campus, police said Friday.



Excise police were in an unmarked car outside the store to catch minors attempting to get alcohol, Lt. Tim Cleveland, a police spokesman, told the South Bend Tribune.



Clausen was cited for a misdemeanor citation, while the 23-year-old, a recent Notre Dame graduate, was cited for inducing a minor to possess alcohol, an infraction.









Clausen declined comment Friday through the university. Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis also declined comment.



Police said the 23-year-old entered the store and bought two 1.75-liter bottles of vodka, a 200-milliliter bottle of whiskey, and case containing 30 cans of beer.



Clausen remained outside the store in a Chevrolet Tahoe along with another Notre Dame freshman, who was not cited.



Clausen has entered a pretrial diversion program with the St. Joseph County prosecutor's office, said Linda Scopelitis, who directs the program.



Under the terms of the agreement, signed on July 11, Clausen agreed to pay a $170 fee and to not commit a similar offense for a year, Scopelitis said.



If he meets those terms, he will not face a misdemeanor charge for the June incident, she said. But if he's cited for the same offense within a year, he'll face two misdemeanor charges.



Clausen must also likely deal with the university's Office of Residence Life and Housing, as well as Weis.



The Irish open the season at home Sept. 1 against Georgia Tech.



Clausen, the nation's No. 1 recruit in the last recruiting cycle, is battling for the starting quarterback job at Notre Dame.