Not-guilty plea for Colts' Ahmad Bradshaw on Ohio pot charge

An Indianapolis Colts running back pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a marijuana possession charge after being stopped this month by state troopers on an interstate highway in western Ohio.

Preble County court officials said a Dayton attorney filed the plea for Ahmad Bradshaw, who also played for the Super Bowl-winning New York Giants. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Feb. 25.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said Bradshaw, 28, was stopped for a traffic violation on Interstate 70 on Feb. 5. He was charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of a small amount of marijuana and with following another vehicle too closely.

Trooper J.A. Barhorst said in a statement that he ''smelled the strong odor of raw marijuana'' coming from inside the Cadillac driven by Bradshaw after he pulled it over for a traffic violation.

He said both Bradshaw and his passenger denied marijuana was in the vehicle. Barhorst said while patting down Bradshaw, he felt a small container in his pocket. He said Bradshaw agreed to let him remove the container, which the trooper said contained a brown substance. The trooper said after being read his rights, Bradshaw said he had found the container in the vehicle, which he had borrowed for his trip.

Troopers then searched the vehicle and found in a backpack two medical marijuana containers: one empty and one with about 1.5 grams of marijuana, according to Barhorst's report. He stated that other items including rolling papers and two medicine bottles with unknown liquids were found in two backpacks. Barhorst reported that the items were sent to the highway patrol crime lab for analysis.

''When questioned about the contraband, suspect Bradshaw didn't want to talk,'' Barhorst stated.

Bradshaw was sent on his way after receiving the citations. A court deputy clerk said the marijuana charge carries $270 in fines.

Bradshaw's attorney, David Williamson, didn't immediately return a telephone call Tuesday.

Bradshaw had 725 total yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games for the Colts in 2014 before suffering a season-ending fractured fibula. He is facing free agency, and the team's website carried a recent story in which he said he hoped to stay with the Colts.

Messages were left Tuesday for the Colts and for an NFL spokesman.