Valanciunas’ impaired driving charge dropped
It was the first and only black mark on Jonas Valanciunas’ record as a professional athlete, but the drunk-driving case against the Toronto Raptors’ 22-year-old big man from this past April has been dropped.
The Crown told a Collingwood court on Tuesday that there was “not a reasonable prospect of conviction” and they will no longer be pursuing charges.
Valanciunas was reported to have been seen at a drive-thru window in Wasaga Beach with open beer bottles around 2:30 a.m.
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A call was made to police, who found the vehicle and the seven-foot centre at a nearby home where they arrested him under allegations he had been driving under the influence of alcohol.
The night after news of the arrest leaked, a noticeably motivated Valanciunas posted a career-best 26 points along with 12 rebounds and two blocks in a win versus the Philadelphia 76ers.
The following game he hauled in 21 boards, also a career-high.
In preparation for his third NBA season, Valanciunas will be playing for Lithuania at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain later this summer.
