A University student who pleaded guilty for seven animal cruelty charges was arrested on a second set of drug-related offenses this weekend.

Ashley Rose Council, 21, was arrested Saturday between 12:32 and 12:53 a.m. and charged with possession of marijuana, obstruction of a law enforcement official, violation of a limited permit and failure to maintain lane.

As of Tuesday night neither Council nor District Attorney Ken Mauldin could be reached.

This weekend’s four pending misdemeanors are in addition to 12 charges to which Council has pleaded guilty since first becoming a student in fall 2005.

The first arrest – for animal cruelty – was made on Sept. 27, 2007, in fulfillment of a warrant issued two and a half weeks prior.

Council, a University veterinary school worker at the time, was connected to the beating and subsequent death of seven black puppies. The abused puppies were found in a box – which displayed a shipping label with Council’s name – behind the Golden Pantry gas station on Lexington Road, near Council’s family home.

Council’s original trial for seven counts of felony for aggravated animal cruelty was accepted by a grand jury in October 2007, but then dropped by a district attorney, who wanted to restart the case with an additional seven misdemeanor animal cruelty charges.

The second trial did not begin until August 2008.

Council voluntarily withdrew from University classes for spring 2008. She returned in fall 2008.

Though she was not in classes during the semester, it is not confirmed if Council had student status at any time during the spring. It is possible Council registered for classes during this time, which should put her under University jurisdiction.

On June 27, 2008, while awaiting the August animal cruelty trial, Council was arrested and charged with DUI drugs, possession of marijuana, turn signal violation and a seat belt violation.

On that date, Council served an hour and a half of the 24-hour jail time required for DUI before being released on a $3,000 bond. Council served the remainder of her time on Sept. 30, 2008.

On July 26, between the trial and jailing for her June arrest, Council was cited with a seat belt violation. Her court date was set for Aug.19, 2008.

Council did not appear for traffic court, so a 20-day notice was produced. The notice was dropped due to “time served” – because Council was in jail – though there is no record of Council being in jail at that time.

On Aug. 26, 2008, Council pled guilty to seven misdemeanor animal cruelty charges. She received two years of probation, 120 hours of community service to be performed at Animal Control or the Humane Society and $810 in fines.

On Sept. 25, 2008, Council pled guilty under a First Offenders plea for charges related to her June 2008 DUI arrest. Council received two years of probation, $866 in fines, 70 hours of community service, 24 hours confinement, random screening and instructions to take a alcohol safety class.

Because Council’s initial probation for animal cruelty had not yet been declared, her June arrest was not a probation violation.

Terms of Council’s probation include maintaining regular employment and abstaining from drugs and alcohol. This weekend was her first documented violation of these terms.

It is unconfirmed if Council ever faced any action by University Judiciary for these charges, due to her spring hiatus. If this is the case, Council could face University Judiciary for the first time for this past weekend’s offenses, despite already having committed 11 misdemeanors.

According to the police report for Council’s Feb. 21 charges:

Council’s car was considerably drifting on Lexington Road- to the point of almost hitting an adjacent vehicle.

When the officer pulled over Council, she was visibly upset, saying she was nervous because she was being followed.

Council said she was driving back from the Student Learning Center – now the Miller Learning Center – where she had been studying for a test. She said she had gone to one of her friend’s houses, and she had a little to drink earlier in the night.

The officer confirmed that Council had a DUI permit to drive to work, school and the doctor.

Council was pulled at 12:32 a.m. Saturday. The Miller Learning Center is closed from 7 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday. This means Council was pulled approximately five and a half hours after the study area closed.

The officer arrested Council because “a friend’s house” violated the terms of her driving permit.

While being placed in handcuffs, Council “struggled” with the officer. While being placed in the car, Council tried to wrestle herself free – to the point that the officer had to put Council on the ground.

Another unit was dispatched. The assisting officer helped get Council into the backseat of the patrol car, where Council kicked the door repeatedly. After Council calmed, the arresting officer was able to close the door.

The arresting officer went back and searched Council’s car, where he found two bags of marijuana and a bottle of sealed Mogen David 20/20 wine, also known as “Mad Dog.”

Council was transported to Athens-Clarke County jail. She was released Saturday at 7:07 p.m.

Even if Council is found guilty on all four of this weekend’s charges, the University Judiciary is likely to sentence her to a year of University probation. Council would still be a University student.

However, due to a recent change in University policy, if Council were to drop out of school for over a year – due to jail time or otherwise – she would have to reapply to the University.

According to University policy, a student convicted of two misdemeanor alcohol charges must be suspended from the University – and Council, if convicted, will carry 15 misdemeanors.

Council’s court date for weekend charges is docketed in state court for April 16 at 9 a.m.