A young boy who fought like a warrior and led Ohio State Buckeyes to the fourth seed in the College Football Playoff had one chance to prove his value outside the university gates into the real world. However, sometimes one needs to fall to rise like a phoenix.
C.J. Stroud’s debut failed to earn him validation from peers and experts. Some even doubted if he would be allowed to play for the preseason. But only one who can use a failure as a stepping stone is worthy of grand success.
Stroud proves he is a force to reckon with a series of feats, including 470 yards and five touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 5 and 356 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals on November 12, 2023. Needless to say, the 22-year-old NFL player is recognized as the “Offensive Rookie of The Year.” The pride of Houston Texans is charging the team toward the championship.
However, the star quarterback would not be able to share his victories with one of his loved ones for a harrowing reason.
C.J. Stroud’s dad, Coleridge Bernard Stroud III, has been sentenced to 38 years in prison on the charges of carjacking, kidnapping, and robbery with sexual battery in a drug-related incident in 2015. Stroud’s father assaulted a woman when she was alone and robbed her car.
What Crime Did C.J. Stroud’s Dad Commit?
On April 12, 2015, around 9:05 p.m., a woman was driving downtown San Diego to pick up her boyfriend. But as she halted at the traffic light, she froze as an unhinged man suddenly approached her car.
The man, who was presumably under the influence, thrust himself inside her car and demanded she drive him to a house to get drugs.
When the woman’s boyfriend called her, the man snatched away her phone and threatened her further. He then touched the woman in her private area, vagina to be specific, without her consent after he directed her towards a house under construction.
After the woman fought back, she escaped with a slimmer of hope and fled from his restraints. She immediately informed the police, but by then, the man had robbed her car. But after he drove the car for 60 miles per hour in a 45-mile-per-hour zone, he foolishly crashed the car into a pole.
When the San Diego police tracked him down, he resisted arrest by not following orders and jumped into the San Diego Bay. Eventually, all his deceitful lunacy came to a screeching halt, and he was apprehended by the police.
The preliminary investigation revealed the man’s identity to be Coleridge Bernard Stroud III. And unfortunately, he is the father of the rising NFL rookie C.J. Stroud.
Why Is C.J. Stroud’s Dad in Jail?
Stroud’s dad, Coleridge Bernard Stroud III, was arrested on the charges of carjacking, kidnapping, and robbery. As per the latest update, the perpetrator has been sentenced to 38 years in prison.
Meanwhile, C.J. has been quite vocal about how the judicial system has failed his family, as he had to take responsibility for his family after his father was arrested. Stroud expressed his views in the recent press conference after his historic win–
“Our criminal justice system ain’t right, man, and I didn’t want to make this public,” Stroud said. “I think I should speak up a little more about it because what he’s going through is wrong.”
Stroud got emotional after he revealed that he could only interact with his father briefly. He said in an interview–
“I got to talk to my dad a little bit this week. I’m praying to God that something can happen, that he can get out and come to one of these games. I’ve been praying for him a lot.”
“That’s what I’ve been battling with, trying to still be a family man … and still be a football player and do my job.”
Stroud’s father is not eligible for parole until 2040.
Reportedly, Stroud Senior has a roster of vile criminal records as follows–
- 1989 – felony drug possession; receiving stolen property.
- 1991 – receiving stolen property; unlawful driving or taking of a car.
- 1992 – armed robbery; attempted second-degree robbery.
- 2015 – carjacking; kidnapping; robbery; evading officer with reckless driving; misdemeanor sexual battery.
What is your take on this case? Do you think Stroud’s father deserves leniency in his sentence?
What are your thoughts on Stroud’s performance? Let us know in the comments section below.
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