Seahawks reinstate FB Derrick Coleman from suspension after hit and run arrest

According to Carroll, the team met with Coleman and determined that he should be reinstated based on his account of the incident and video tapes of his interviews with police.

“We will lift the suspension on Derrick Coleman. We’ll find out what the timing is of that, but as soon as we can,” Carroll said, according to Seahawks blog Field Gulls. “We really don’t have a lot of information -- we don’t have any information for you -- about what’s going on or the issues. We have not received stuff other than to know the basics and the fundamentals of it. So we will do that and then we will move from there.”

At 6:20 p.m. on Wednesday, police were dispatched to the scene of the incident. Coleman left the scene and an officer tracked him down after “several minutes” two blocks away, according to the Bellevue Police Department. He was cooperative with officers, walking up to the patrol car as they located him.

Police said they were not aware of why he left the scene, but that it will be “a focus of the investigation,” stating that whatever the reason for leaving, it’s “his duty” to remain at the scene. Three witnesses identified Coleman after he was detained, and a police canine found a scent in the vehicle and led officers to Coleman two blocks away after he had already been detained.

A field sobriety test was conducted, and officers obtained a search warrant to do a blood test on Coleman, the results of which are unavailable. Police said that there was enough evidence, based on “statements that were made and observations made by the officer” for them to suspect drugs or alcohol may have been involved.

Coleman was driving in a 35 mph zone and collided with the back of a vehicle traveling in the same direction at a “high rate of speed.” They will do an accident reconstruction to determine exactly what happened, but Coleman’s vehicle pushed the other vehicle up an embankment, where it came to rest upside down. Police said the driver of the other vehicle sustained serious but not life-threatening injuries.

A photo taken of the scene revealed what appears to be extensive damage.

Coleman’s agents offered up an explanation for the incident in a statement, via the Seattle Times:

“While the facts of the case are still being determined, it seems Derrick may have fallen asleep while driving home from a Seahawks’ facility. The health and well-being of all involved is our primary concern, and we are thankful to report that both parties are expected to make a full recovery. We will continue to work closely with the local officials while a full investigation is being conducted.”

Coleman went undrafted in 2012 after graduating from UCLA, where he earned second team All-Pac-12 honors for his work on special teams. He has four career touchdowns -- two as a receiver and two on special teams.