Oregon football coach Ra'Shaad Samples has been charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants (DUII) after allegedly crashing into a parked car and leaving the scene in April. Newly released dashcam footage appears to show Samples, 31, backing his 2026 Ford F-150 into Steven James Young's Dodge Ram at approximately 2 a.m. on April 12.
Young's dashcam recorded his pursuit of Samples through Eugene, leading to a stop in a parking lot where the two men discussed the collision. Samples stated through his attorney that he was unaware of the collision at the time, which is why he drove away. He was not arrested at the scene but was later cited for misdemeanor DUII.
Young told The Oregonian that Samples offered him $1,000 to leave the scene, an offer he declined, stating he had minors in the car and wanted to handle the situation correctly. The two then exchanged phone numbers to share insurance information.
According to reporting by The Oregonian, Samples provided the name "Deshaun [DeSean] Jackson" to Young, who became suspicious after looking up the name and finding it did not match. Samples, however, claims he gave Young his license and insurance and that the name "DeSean Jackson" was a "cheeky response" and a joke, referring to his favorite football player.
When Young threatened to send video of the incident to Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, Samples reportedly asked him not to and later offered football tickets as a gesture of appreciation. Samples acknowledged offering tickets but stated it was a routine practice for him and that he offered to pay for any damage, as he did not believe there was any visible damage to Young's vehicle.
Young did email Lanning on the morning of April 12, reporting that he had dashcam footage of the incident and that Samples had left the scene. Samples reportedly called Young later, asking him not to share the video with Lanning, expressing concern about having to explain the situation to his coach.
While no injuries were initially reported, Young and a passenger have since hired attorneys, according to The Oregonian. Samples, a Dallas native, previously coached at SMU and Arizona State, and also worked for the NFL's Los Angeles Rams. He was a wide receiver for Oklahoma State and the University of Houston during his college football career.