UNC G Lawson pleads guilty to drinking charge

Aug 19, 2008 - 6:42 PM HILLSBOROUGH, North Carolina (Ticker) -- North Carolina guard Ty Lawson pleaded guilty to a charge of underage drinking and driving during a brief court appearance Tuesday.

Lawson, who turns 21 on November 3, already has completed several terms of his plea agreement, including 26 hours of community service and an alcohol assessment.

Prosecutors also dismissed charges of driving with a suspended license and a noise ordinance filed against Lawson, one of the nation's top point guards.

"A lot of people could have been hurt from this, like my parents and teammates," Lawson told reporters Tuesday. "It will not happen again."

Lawson was arrested on June 6 after registering a 0.03 blood-alcohol level during a traffic stop in Chapel Hill.

The 5-11 Lawson averaged 12.7 points and a team-leading 5.2 assists during an injury-plagued sophomore season with the Tar Heels.

After UNC lost to Kansas in the national semifinals, Lawson announced he would return for his junior year instead of opting for this year's NBA draft.