Vols linebacker Kivon Bennett dismissed from team after being arrested on drugs, weapons charges on UT’s campus

Posted: Dec 1, 2020 / 05:44 PM EST

Updated: Mar 19, 2021 / 01:27 PM EDT

March 19, 2021

UPDATE: Charges against former University of Tennessee linebacker Kivon Bennett were either dismissed or reduced to misdemeanors. He will serve 11 months, 29 days in judicial diversion for misdemeanor charges of simple possession and unlawful possession of a weapon in addition to a $250 fine.

PREVIOUS: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Vols linebacker Kivon Bennett has been dismissed from the team after being arrested on drugs, and weapons charges on UT’s campus Tuesday morning.

Head coach Jeremy Pruitt released a statement regarding Bennett’s dismissal and arrest:

“Kivon Bennett has been dismissed from our football program following a traffic stop earlier today. There is a standard our student-athletes are expected to uphold at Tennessee, and today’s incident fell well short of that standard.”
Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt

ORIGINAL: Vols linebacker Kivon Bennett was arrested on weapons and drug charges in Knoxville on Tuesday.

According to an arrest report, Bennett was pulled over for speeding on Neyland Drive Tuesday morning, and when the officer made contact with him, he smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.

Bennett told the officer that there was marijuana in the vehicle and when asked if there was any weapons in the car, he told the officer that he had a Glock 17 under his driver’s seat.

Bennett is being charged with possession of a firearm with intent to go armed (dangerous felony), possession of schedule VI drugs with intent, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and prohibited from possessing a firearm under state/federal law.

Attorney Greg Isaacs released a statement on Tuesday regarding the arrest.

“Our firm has been retained to represent Kivon Bennett. We are in the process of conducting a parallel investigation regarding the facts and circumstances of Mr. Bennett’s original stop and his subsequent arrest,” the statement said.

According to the report, the officer found around 44.9 grams of marijuana, a black digital scale, 58 plastic baggies, one Glock 17 9MM handgun.