Even for a white wide receiver, Brian Hartline was remarkably slow responding to Florida Highway Patrol investigators after his Ford pickup was found crashed and abandoned on I-595.
But this morning, just before the Dolphins opened camp, last year's most surprising rookie finally faced the inquisition with his attorney present -- and escaped with a $115 citation, which he paid at the team's facilities in Davie.
Officers found the Ohio State grad's truck by the side of the interstate in the early morning hours of July 3, where it sat after colliding with an abandoned Cadillac Escalade.
But Hartline didn't meet with FHP officials when they showed up at his house later that day, and he didn't submit to an interview two days later when he arrived to claim his vehicle.
Nor did he speak when the incident -- such as it was -- went public 10 days later.
That made it difficult for lead investigator State Trooper Ted Menner to determine who was driving Hartline's truck -- and the highway patrol seemed content to cite him for a non-moving violation and collect a fine rather than charge anyone with leaving the scene of an accident.
For the Dolphins, who've seen far worse from players this offseason, the mystery wasn't all that intruiging.
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"I talked to him," said Tony Sparano today. "It's disappointing only in the sense that, from a communication standpoint, I wish we would have done a little bit better job that way. But other than that, that thing really is [put] to bed. He's been issued a traffic citation, paid a fine and the case is closed."
