Horizon star pleads not guilty in alcohol-related crash

Carol Sowers
The Arizona Republic
May. 8, 2006 02:15 PM

SCOTTSDALE - A Horizon High School quarterback who crashed his car into an elderly couple's home on prom night has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of underage drinking and other counts in Scottsdale City Court.

Dax Crum, touted in 2005 as one of Arizona's top college prospects, is charged with three misdemeanor DUI charges and one civil traffic complaint after he slammed a 2003 silver Mercedes S55 AMGinto the Scottsdale home of John and Shirley Roberts about 1 a.m. April 23.

Crum's plea was filed April 28 by his Phoenix attorney, Larry Kazan, in advance of Monday's arraignment.

Neither Crum nor Kazan was required to be in court for the proceeding.

Crum's next court appearance is June 13 for a pretrial conference.

Crum admitted to police that he "had screwed up" by drinking on prom night, according to the Scottsdale police report. The report said Crum's blood-alcohol content was more than 0.08 percent, which is the legal limit.

Shirley Roberts, 75, and her 87-year-old husband, John, were at home at 85th Street and Cactus Road when the Mercedes crashed through their living room window. The car knocked down supporting beams, crumpled furniture and sheared off the left arm of the chair where John, a retired road contractor, was reading. He was not injured.

Crum was hospitalized briefly at Scottsdale Healthcare Shea, where blood was cleaned from around his mouth, and medical personnel placed him in a neck collar and inserted IVs.