AF9V5480

Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Austin Maloata celebrates against UC Davis.

(Pete Christopher/The Oregonian)

Austin Maloata

Oregon junior lineman Austin Maloata was dismissed from the team by coach Mark Helfrich following his early Sunday morning arrest near the UO campus.

Maloata was arrested at 1:48 a.m. Sunday, hours after Oregon's 52-27 home loss to Stanford, after his car was reported as driving through a red light near the Oregon campus before colliding with another vehicle near the intersection of East Broadway and Hilyard Street, according to Eugene police.

Officers suspected Maloata, 19, was intoxicated and arrested him for DUII and reckless driving. Methamphetamine was then found after a search of the car, and Maloata was subsequently charged with possession of a controlled substance.

He was released from county jail at 10:51 a.m., less than six hours after being booked, and is scheduled to appear in Lane County Circuit Court on Nov. 29, three days after what would have been his UO season finale against Oregon State.

The 6-foot-1, 305-pound Maloata grew up in Pago Pago, Samoa, before playing high school football in Corona, Calif. He served a one-game suspension and missed Oregon's Nov. 5 loss at USC before returning to the field Saturday against Stanford.

The Daily Emerald first reported Maloata's arrest.

Maloata is the second Ducks defender arrested in the past two weeks following Eddie Heard's Nov. 2 arrest on charges of fourth-degree assault and harassment. Heard later pleaded not guilty to the assault charge and will appear in court again Dec. 8. Heard has not been dismissed from the team but remains suspended indefinitely.

-- Andrew Greif

agreif@oregonian.com

@andrewgreif