Cowboys defensive tackle Jay Ratliff’s trial to face charges of driving while intoxicated, which was scheduled for Thursday morning in the Tarrant County Criminal Court, has been postponed until Feb. 20, according to his attorney.
Tom Pappas, Ratliff’s attorney, said his client has no intention to reach a plea deal in the case.
Ratliff was arrested in Grapevine in the early-morning hours of Jan. 22 after he crashed his 2011 Ford pickup truck into an 18-wheeler. After a search warrant for his blood was issued more than two hours later, tests determined that Ratliff’s blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit, according to Grapevine police.
Ratliff’s arrest occurred six weeks after then-backup Josh Brent’s crash, which killed teammate Jerry Brown Jr. Brent, whose blood-alcohol level was also tested at more than twice the legal limit, is facing an intoxication manslaughter charge and has since retired from the NFL.
Ratliff, who was limited to six games last season due to injuries, remains on the physically unable to perform list while continuing to recover from his 2012 sports-hernia surgery and a strained hamstring during the Cowboys’ pre-training camp conditioning test. The Cowboys are optimistic that Ratliff will be able to play in the Sept. 8 season opener against the New York Giants.
