Did Ben Roethlisberger sexually assault a college student at a bar in Milledgeville, Ga.?
That’s for the police and the legal system to sort out, as investigators gather evidence and interview potential witnesses.
But even if the case brings no formal charges, Roethlisberger is guilty of poor judgment and disregard for his position as quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The man who has guided the Steelers to two Super Bowl championships now is also facing his second sexual-assault accusation in as many years.
Last summer, a hostess at a resort in Lake Tahoe, Nev., filed a civil lawsuit alleging that Roethlisberger raped her in his hotel room in 2008.
That lawsuit is ongoing.
Yet, Roethlisberger engaged in a night of bar-hopping with a college crowd in a small town in Georgia.
He interacted openly with patrons at several Milledgeville establishments, drinking alcohol and posing for pictures.
And when his night of partying was over, he was accused of sexually assaulting a young woman whom he encountered during the evening.
Will DNA evidence sink the quarterback?
Will hotshot attorney Ed Garland keep Roethlisberger out of the courtroom or prison?
Time will answer those important questions.
Regardless of how the legal circumstances play out, the Steelers should take action to penalize Roethlisberger for continued behavior that is detrimental to the team.
Roethlisberger’s latest troubles are another black eye for the team whose colors he wears on Sundays.
Appropriate action could include a fine or a suspension or both.
We wouldn’t blame the team for going so far as to release the quarterback from his contract and ending his time in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers are a franchise that values its positive public image.
Fans love the Steelers for their hardworking ethic and “good guys” reputation.
Roethlisberger, alone, seems determined to bring down everything the Rooney family and the team’s coaches and players — past and present — have built up over the years.
The legal system will determine whether the quarterback is guilty or not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in Georgia.
But a man who continually courts trouble — with no regard for his position as the face of a sports franchise — could never be called “completely innocent.”
— The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
