- Broncos five-eighth, 21, has been ordered to appear in court
- Star crashed his ute into an Uber in Brisbane on October 18
Police have charged Brisbane Broncos star Ezra Mam with drug driving after he allegedly tested positive to an illegal drug after crashing his car into another vehicle on October 18 – leaving him at risk of a huge ban from the NRL.
The 21-year-old has been ordered to appear at Brisbane Magistrates Court on December 16 after the charge was laid on Wednesday.
Mam has also been hit with a traffic infringement notice for fail to maintain control of vehicle over the collision in Brisbane, which saw his Ford Ranger have a head-on collision with an Uber.
The star five-eighth was given a roadside drug test by police after the incident and allegedly returned a positive result.
He underwent further testing in hospital to confirm the first result. The second samples allegedly came back positive on Tuesday.
Mam has been charged with one count of drive while relevant drug is present in blood, and one count of drive motor vehicle with out a driver’s licence.
He was reportedly moving house when the accident occurred in the inner-north Brisbane suburb of Bardon.
The Broncos have been notified of the charges and released a statement.
Broncos star Ezra Mam (pictured) is due to front a Brisbane court next month after allegedly returning two positive drug tests when he crashed his car into another vehicle in October
Mam’s Ford Ranger (pictured) collided with an Uber, with the car’s passenger claiming she and her four-year-old daughter had to be hospitalised as a result
‘The club was notified this afternoon that charges have now been laid,’ Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy said.
‘We will respect the legal process and will continue to work with the NRL Integrity Unit on next steps, as this matter moves forward.
‘Ezra is currently seeking external support and we will give him the time and space to do so.
‘As the matter is now before the courts, we are unable to make further comment.’
The Uber passengers were a mother and daughter.
The mother has claimed that she and her four-year-old daughter were hospitalised after the crash, with the girl suffering a broken hip in the collision.
Mam is being investigated by the NRL Integrity Unit over the incident.
On October 21 his management revealed that he has entered rehab.
‘Ezra is extremely remorseful,’ a statement released by the star’s management read.
‘He is concerned, first and foremost, for the other parties involved and understands the enormity of the current situation.
‘He acknowledges he’s facing some personal challenges and, following these recent events, has taken a proactive step by seeking immediate professional treatment.
‘We will continue to support him throughout this process and will not make any further comments at this time.’
Donaghy previously refused to rule out sacking Mam over the incident.
Mam’s management revealed he has entered rehab shortly after the collision
‘In my conversation with Ezra, he’s apologised for putting the club in this position, and certainly his concerns have been for the others that were involved in the accident,’ Donaghy said.
‘He’s a young man, he’s a 21-year-old – But unfortunately, in this industry, you need to grow up quickly – it’s a very privileged role.’
Mam’s teammate and good friend Reece Walsh pleaded with the club not to sack the playmaker earlier this month.
‘I feel for Ezra, he is an awesome person for a start,’ Walsh said.
‘He is going through a tough time at the moment and everyone in this club feels for him.
‘They know the bloke Ezra is and how caring he is. We have his back and it’s important we are there for him and we support him.
‘He will take the actions he needs to do to come back in the right way.’
It is the second time Mam has been involved in an off-field incident this year with the young star and fullback Reece Walsh investigated by the NRL following an altercation with fans in Bali while on holiday.
