BLOOMINGTON, Indiana (WISH) — Indiana University point guard Xavier Johnson has been arrested for reckless driving and resisting law enforcement, according to Monroe County Sheriff Brad Swain.
Just after 3 a.m. Sunday, a Monroe County sheriff’s deputy saw a Dodge Charger traveling at 90 miles per hour on North Walnut Street, a major thoroughfare through downtown Bloomington.
The deputy tried to stop the charger, but the driver refused to stop. The car pulled into an apartment complex parking lot and hit a stop sign while trying to get away from the deputy.
The car eventually stopped and the deputy saw 22-year-old Johnson exit the car and swap seats with a passenger identified by police as Lee Marrioti.
According to Sheriff Swain, the two men switched places to make it appear that Marrioti was the person driving away from police instead of Johnson.
Johnson was arrested and committed to the Monroe County Corrections Center. He faces charges of resisting law enforcement with a vehicle and a charge of reckless driving. He has since been released from prison.
Marrioti was charged with making false statements after claiming he was the driver of the car. He too was released from prison.
IU basketball player Parker Stewart was also in the car at the time but was not charged, Swain says. Stewart refused to tell police who was driving the car during the pursuit.
IU’s athletic department issued a statement following Johnson’s arrest:
Indiana University Athletics and the men’s basketball program are aware of the allegations against Xavier Johnson.
IU Athletics will continue to gather facts, cooperate and monitor the court process and take further action as the evolving situation warrants.
Johnson joined Indiana University from Pittsburgh last season and helped lead the Hoosiers to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016.
His play throughout the season ranked among the best point guards in the Big Ten conference, highlighted by back-to-back 24-point performances against Maryland and Minnesota and a 20-point performance in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament against Iowa.
Last season, Johnson was one of five Hoosiers players given a one-game ban at the Northwestern in mid-February for violating team rules.
Johnson is expected to be the Hoosiers’ starting point guard next season for head coach Mike Woodson’s second season with the team. He has one year left to play at IU.