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Former Winston teammate: I was in car, nothing inappropriate happened

Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby says he was in the backseat with Winston during an Uber ride in which the Bucs QB is accused of groping a female driver in 2016
 
This is not the first time Ronald Darby has been a witness for Jameis Winston during an allegations of a sexual nature. [AP photo]
This is not the first time Ronald Darby has been a witness for Jameis Winston during an allegations of a sexual nature. [AP photo]
Published Nov. 19, 2017|Updated Nov. 19, 2017

Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby has released a statement in defense of Jameis Winston, saying he was in the back seat with the Bucs quarterback  during the Uber ride in 2016 and "nothing inappropriate" happened.

The NFL is investigating an allegation that Winston groped a female Uber driver. While strongly denying the accusation, Winston had not identified any of the passengers during the ride at 2 a.m. on March 13, 2016.

Darby, 23, who won a national championship with Winston at Florida State in 2013, said that no inappropriate contact took place but did not identify the third passenger.

"I am confident that nothing inappropriate in nature happened in the car that evening and Jameis did not have any physical contact with the Uber driver," Darby said. "The accusations are just not true."

This is not the first time Darby has been a witness for Winston during an allegations of a sexual nature.

Darby and another FSU teammate, Chris Casher, witnessed the sexual encounter that led to Erica Kinsman of Zephyrhills accusing Winston of rape in 2012.

A Florida State hearing panel found Darby not responsible for "conduct of a sexual nature that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for another person" and "acts that invade privacy of another person.'

Winston was never charged in the case but reached a settlement in a civil suit with Erica Kinsman of Zephyrhills in January.

Darby issued a statement Sunday morning, one that would contradict the Uber driver saying she was alone in the car with Winston.

"I felt the need to come forward and clarify some inaccurate accounts of the evening of March 13, 2016 when myself, a friend and Jameis Winston took an Uber ride in Arizona," Darby said. "There were three of us in the car, not just one as has been reported. Myself and Jameis were in the backseat."

Winston and Darby were in Scottsdale, Ariz., on March 13, 2016, while Winston was participating in Kurt Warner's Ultimate Football Experience. Winston has declined to name any of the passengers in the Uber ride that night.

The driver's allegations that Winston groped her when they stopped at the drive-thru of a Mexican restaurant in March of 2016 caught the Bucs completely by surprise.

The Uber driver alleged in an interview with Buzzfeed News said that Winston "reached over and he just grabbed my crotch" and kept his hand there for "three to five seconds." According to the report, he removed his hand only when she looked up in shock and said 'What's up with that?''

On Friday, Winston called the accusations "false" and contested the unnamed female driver's assertion that he was her only passenger, suggesting someone else was in the passenger seat.

Winston will be on the sideline today as the Bucs inactive third quarterback against the Dolphins, which has been the plan before Friday's news, to rest his injured shoulder.

Uber confirmed to the Times on Friday that on March 13, 2016 a driver in Arizona reported the incident allegedly involving Winston shortly after the trip in question and that his app was cancelled.