Michigan’s Zavier Simpson was suspended after wrecking AD’s wife’s car

Michigan guard Zavier Simpson was suspended a game last month, and now we know why.

MLive.com’s Samuel Dodge reported on Thursday that Simpson crashed a car registered to Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel’s wife into a utility pole. The incident took place after midnight on Sunday, Jan. 26 in the hours after Michigan’s loss to Illinois.

Police found Simpson nearby the crashed car, and the senior guard told them he had been walking by, which was not true. According to a police report obtained by MLive.com, Simpson also lied about his name, telling them his name was “Jeff Jackson Simpson.” The police recognized him as a Michigan player and asked why he was lying. Simpson told them he lied because he didn’t want to be part of the crash report.

So how did he end up in a car registered to the athletic director’s wife? Simpson told police the car belonged to Warde’s son, Evan, who is a student manager for the basketball team.

Simpson told police he drove the car into the pole due to icy conditions. Simpson was suspended one game — a win at Nebraska on Jan. 28 — and has played in both games since.

Both Simpson and head coach Juwan Howard only said that the senior guard violated team rules.