MSU football's LJ Scott arrested, faces 7th charge for driving without a valid license

EAST LANSING - Michigan State University running back LJ Scott was arrested Wednesday for driving on a suspended license, the seventh time Scott has faced that or a similar charge.

Scott, 21, was arrested and later released on a personal recognizance bond, East Lansing Police spokesman Lt. Chad Connelly said Thursday. He declined to comment further because Scott has not yet been arraigned.

The charge carries up to a year in jail if Scott is convicted because he has at least one prior conviction on the same charge, which is typically a 93-day misdemeanor.

Scott could not be reached Thursday. A message left seeking comment from James Heos, Scott's attorney, was not immediately returned.

Scott has been charged for driving without a license or on a suspended license at least six other times in Ohio and Michigan since last year, according to court records.

The junior running back is from Hubbard, Ohio.

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Ben Phlegar, associate director for athletic communications at MSU, did not immediately wish to comment when reached Thursday.

In February 2016, Scott was pulled over by East Lansing police and charged with driving on a suspended license. The charge was later dropped in exchange for an equipment violation citation and fines totaling $500.

In March 2016, an Ohio State Patrol trooper pulled Scott over near Ashland, Ohio for driving 87 mph in a 70 mph speed zone. He was also charged with driving without a license, a misdemeanor. Court records show he was found guilty on both counts and paid $330 in fines.

In April 2016, Scott was involved in a vehicle crash near Cleveland, Ohio. He was initially charged with leaving the scene of a crash and driving without a valid license, but court records show those charges were dismissed after Scott pleaded guilty to one count of reckless driving, a minor misdemeanor in Ohio, and paid $531.

In July 2016, Scott was pulled over by Michigan State University Police in East Lansing for driving without his headlights turned on. According to a police report obtained by the Lansing State Journal, Scott told officers he and a friend were leaving a party. Scott admitted a red plastic cup in the center console that contained alcohol belonged to him. 

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Scott passed a sobriety test, according to the report, and was charged with driving on a suspended license and driving with an open alcohol container. Both charges were later dropped when Scott pleaded to two counts of impeding traffic, a civil infraction. 

In March, Scott was pulled over by Michigan State University Police and charged with driving on a suspended license. The charge was dismissed in exchange for Scott's plea to one count of impeding traffic.

And in July, Scott was charged near his hometown of Hubbard, Ohio with driving on a suspended license. He ultimately pleaded no contest to the lesser charge of driving without a valid license, court records show.

It is not clear why Scott's license was suspended in the first place. 

Scott ran for a career-high 194 yards in last week's win against Minnesota. The Spartans play Indiana Saturday in East Lansing.

State Journal reporter Sarah Lehr contributed to this report. Contact Christopher Haxel at 517-377-1261 or chaxel@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisHaxel.