Richard Sherman wins deferred prosecution in Washington DUI case avoids trial with five year program

The former NFL cornerback turned sports analyst Richard Sherman has been given a deferred prosecution in his DUI case from 2024 by a judge in the King County District Court in Washington. This means Sherman can avoid a criminal trial by completing a two-year treatment program and sticking to strict conditions for five years of probation.On February 24, 2024, at around 2 a.m., a Washington State Patrol officer pulled over Richard Sherman on Interstate 405 for speeding at 79 mph in a 60 mph zone. The officer saw Sherman's vehicle swerving or 'bouncing back and forth' within its lane.Sherman, who was 37 at the time, had bloodshot eyes and confessed to drinking two margaritas earlier that evening. He refused a voluntary Breathalyzer test but took part in field sobriety tests, which he failed, resulting in his arrest.Approximately two hours later, after securing a warrant, authorities carried out a blood test that indicated a blood-alcohol level of about 0.11, which is over Washington's legal limit of 0.08. The Washington State Patrol crime lab confirmed these results.September 23, 2025 King County District Court Judge Peter J. Peaquin signed the deferred prosecution holding the DUI charge pending, provided that Sherman satisfies the goals of the court.Under the legislation of Washington State, a person seeking deferred prosecution must confirm that their conduct was associated with a substance use disorder or a mental health issue and will have a two-year treatment room.Sherman needs to steer clear of alcohol, nonprescription drugs, and marijuana throughout this time. The entire program lasts five years, which includes probation, and the arrest will be considered a prior offense in any upcoming DUI cases. If Sherman follows all the rules, the charges will be dropped; if not, he could end up facing a bench or jury trial to figure out if he's guilty.A representative from the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office confirmed the decision to ESPN, mentioning that the state doesn't have a say in approving these requests since it adheres to state law without any special treatment.Sherman's attorney, Jon Fox, provided a statement to TMZ Sports on September 23, 2025, explaining the decision, "The deferred prosecution represents Mr. Sherman's commitment to working past any issues with alcohol or other issues that could have led to this incident. It is not a treatment program for alcoholism, but it is comprehensive.”He later added, “As allowed by law, the granting of the deferred prosecution represents the judge approving what has been proposed, which takes five years. On successful completion and strict compliance, Mr. Sherman will have earned the dismissal of the charges." Casey McNerthney, a spokesperson for the King County Prosecutor's Office, told The Seattle Times via email that the deferred prosecution adheres to state law, stating, "It’s pursuant to state law. So there was no special treatment one way or the other here."This is Sherman's second DUI case in a few years. Back in July 2021, he got arrested for supposedly crashing his SUV into a closed construction area in Redmond, then took off and tried to break into his in-laws' place.Also Read: Leonard Williams listed limited in Seattle Seahawks Tuesday walkthrough raising alarms for Thursday night matchupIn March 2022, he admitted guilt to first-degree negligent driving, second-degree criminal trespass, and a speeding ticket as part of a plea agreement, which resulted in two years of court supervision, a $2,500 fine plus court costs, and a requirement to attend a DUI victim panel.