The Nittany Lion is Busted for DUI in Pennsylvania

Mascot stopped for traffic infraction then charged with drunk driving.

James Sheep, the student cheerleader who dons the Nittany Lion costume for Penn State events, was arrested for driving under the influence in Pennsylvania last Saturday. Sheep was initially stopped by State College police around 3:15 in the morning for having too many people in his vehicle. In fact the passengers were oiled on top of each other, blocking the driver's view. Sheep submitted to field sobriety tests and was taken to a hospital to draw blood for a blood-alcohol test. He was later charged with PA DUI.

Sheep attends more than 300 events a year as the mascot. He earned the job in January 2007 by doing 50 one-armed push-ups. Sheep, who is a senior at Penn State, is required to maintain a 3.0 grade point average as part of a scholarship deal.

Some disciplinary action is expected be taken though the Office of Judicial Affairs has not said whether the DUI arrest will impact Sheep's ability to don the costume for Penn State's appearance at the Rose Bowl.

'The Nittany Lion' is not the first mascot to get into trouble. Stanford's 'Tree' was charged with public intoxication, Miami's 'Sebastian the Ibis' was arrested with an extinguisher in the stadium just before an attempt to extinguish the Florida State mascot's flaming spear, and Wisconsin's 'Bucky' was busted for not wearing pants while walking down the streets of Madison.

Have been arrested for DUI in PA?