Once upon a time, Steve Martin suggested the following strategy for dealing with criminal charges of tax evasion.
“I forgot.”
Dolphins receiver Brian Hartline had avoided scrutiny for leaving the scene of an accident with similar logic, but using an approach that bears more similarities to one of Cheech and Chong’s catch phrases.
But Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that Hartline finally has owned up to the situation, paying a $115 fine for failure to report a crash.
Coach Tony Sparano acknowledged that Hartline should have handled the situation differently, instead of dragging his feet for days.
“It’s disappointing only in the sense that, from a communication standpoint, I wish we would have done a little bit better job that way,” Sparano said, per Berardino. “But other than that, that thing really is [put] to bed. He’s been issued a traffic citation, paid a fine and the case is closed.”
It’s unknown whether the incident exposes Hartline to potential scrutiny under the Personal Conduct Policy. Given that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was suspended six games yet never paid a fine, Steelers fans will be crying out for a suspension in three . . . two . . . .