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FARMINGTON, Utah (AP) -- A Weber State football player has pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors in two separate cases in a plea deal.
Bryant Eteuati, 21, pleaded guilty Thursday in 2nd District Court to reckless endangerment and leaving the scene of an accident.
Prosecutors say Eteuati was part of a large group of people watching a fight at a park on July 1 when he was attacked. They say he swerved his car into a group of people while leaving the scene, injuring one.
In a separate case, Layton Police said Eteuati helped his friends shoplift from a store where he worked. In that case he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor communications fraud.
Eteuati, a receiver/returner, was suspended indefinitely from the team in October.
Weber State said in a statement saying it was working to verify what happened in court.
"If it is determined that Bryant Eteuati is no longer facing felony charges or convictions we will assemble a committee to review what has occurred in the courts and to hear from the football player himself," the statement said. "After gathering all the information available, and reviewing it, we will determine the appropriate penalty for his situation."
Eteuati's sentencing is set for Jan. 8. He said Thursday he was sorry and that "I wish I could take everything back that I've done."
He had been charged with felony aggravated assault, but his attorney, Deven Coggins, said the reckless endangerment misdemeanor was more appropriate because he said there was no evidence that Eteuati hit anyone with his car intentionally.
"He was trying to get out of the situation," Coggins said. "He had to be told by others later that he hit somebody. ... It was a panicked situation. He was afraid for his safety."
Information from: Standard-Examiner
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
