National Football League

No immediate charging decision for Seahawks' Coleman

Published Oct. 16, 2015 1:50 p.m. ET

foxsports

SEATTLE (AP) Authorities said Friday that they'll wait until an investigation is complete before deciding whether to file criminal charges against Seattle Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman, who was arrested following a crash that injured a man.

Coleman is being investigated for vehicular assault and felony hit-and-run.

Dan Donohoe, a spokesman for the King County prosecutor, said in a statement that Coleman was being released from jail and that he wouldn't appear in court. The investigation into Wednesday's incident, including full toxicology test results, was expected to take at least a month.

Coleman was booked into King County Jail early Thursday and initially denied bail. Police officers in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue said they arrested him because he left the scene of the two-car accident Wednesday evening.

Steve Hayne, one of Coleman's lawyers, has said Coleman was ''in shock'' and didn't flee or go far from the scene.

Coleman's agents said in a statement ''it seems Derrick may have fallen asleep while driving home from a Seahawks' facility.''

Witnesses said Coleman's truck was speeding through a 35 mph zone when it rear-ended a Honda Civic, said Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett. After Coleman was helped from his vehicle, witnesses said, he left.

Officers found Coleman two blocks from the crash within 10 minutes based on the descriptions from witnesses. Coleman reported no injuries, while the driver of the other vehicle was taken to a hospital with serious, non-life-threatening injuries.

Coleman is in his fourth season with the Seahawks, who suspended him following his arrest.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Friday that the team would take it ''one step at a time'' before reinstating Coleman.

''Right now, we're just concerned he had a serious accident and there's some serious issues there,'' Carroll said.

Coleman was on the practice squad in 2012 before making the 53-man roster in 2013. Coleman missed 11 games and the playoffs last season because of a broken foot.

Coleman is legally deaf and his football success has made him an inspirational figure. He has been featured in TV commercials and has written a book that was released this year.

---

Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL