A bad situation may be easing for former Liberty County High School football player Shadrach Thornton.
The standout running back had been the North Carolina State University’s leading rusher the past two seasons before he was suspended in December amid allegations of sexual battery and marijuana possession.
According to wralsportsfan.com, Thornton was in court March 5, when the charges of misdemeanor possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphenalia were voluntarily dismissed.
The allegations stemmed from a December incident. North Carolina State University Police were following up on a report of sexual battery and went to Thornton’s College Inn Apartment complex with a warrant. According to the incident report, police smelled marijuana and, during their investigation, three marijuana cigarettes and 0.3 of a gram of marijuana were allegedly found in Thornton’s bedroom.
Those charges were dismissed and Thornton has not been charged in the sexual battery investigation.
Thornton was arrested June 6 on charges of assaulting a woman after witnesses alleged he and his girlfriend were involved in a physical altercation in a school library. Thornton was given a deferred prosecution ruling in that case so he could undergo monitored counseling.
He was temporarily suspended from the team after the June incident, but was reinstated and was given a one-game suspension.
According to the recent article, Thornton is still suspended from the Wolfpack but NC State head coach Dave Doeren told reporters, “He is with the team every day, trains with the team. I’m around him every day. That’s the only way to help him grow as a person. We keep him around us, but we’re still waiting on all the things we need to find out to determine playing time and the future of the program.”
The article stated that Thornton participated in the Wolfpack’s first football practice March 5, before leaving early for court.
In 20 career games with the Wolfpack Thornton has tallied 1,462 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.