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P.J. Hairston suspended indefinitely after another traffic citation

Virginia Tech North Carolina Basketball

North Carolina’s P.J. Hairston sits out on the bench against Virginia Tech during an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/The News & Observer, Robert Willett)

AP

Question: does P.J. Hairston want to play college basketball this season?

That’s about the only question that can be asked in light of a report from USA Today that the rising junior guard was charged with speeding and careless and reckless driving after being pulled over on Sunday.

According to the story, Hairston was driving 93 mph in a 65 mph zone on Interstate 85 just outside of Webb, N.C. As a result of this run-in the school announced that Hairston has been suspended indefinitely from the program.

Hairston, who will have to appear in court on August 30 to address Sunday’s charges, is just nine days removed from having charges of possession of marijuana and driving without a license that stemmed from a June 5 traffic stop in Durham, N.C. dropped.

In mid-July North Carolina head coach Roy Williams stated that Hairston would have to pay for his offseason transgressions, and Sunday’s developments seem to have forced his hand. While Hairston was never charged for the June traffic stop, one would think that the situation would serve as a “wake-up call” of sorts.

Yes mistakes do happen, but the specter of having to deal with the consequences for his actions didn’t prevent Hairston from being pulled over Sunday. There was still going to be punishment for the earlier issues according to Williams’ statement earlier in the month, but how severe would that have been had Hairston managed to stay out of trouble for the remainder of the summer?

“Our basketball program is based on great ideals, and these issues are embarrassing,” Williams said in a statement released on July 12. “These are not common in my 10 years as head coach at UNC, and they will all be dealt with harshly and appropriately at the correct time to ensure that our program will not be compromised.”

Sunday’s development has cast some doubt on Hairston’s future as a Tar Heel, and he has no one to blame but himself for this being the case.

Raphielle can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.