This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Utah defensive end Moana Ofahengaue plead guilty Friday morning in Salt Lake City Justice Court to driving impaired when he crashed a motorized bike and sustained a serious head injury Feb. 23 on South Campus Drive.

While he sat in the courtroom, Utah announced that Ofahengaue has been suspended indefinitely.

When Judge John Baxter correctly guessed that Ofahengaue was a U. football player and advised him to plead not guilty and seek further guidance to avoid losing his scholarship, Ofahengaue's father, former BYU tight end Tevita Ofahengaue, told the court, "Whether he loses it or not, that's secondary to me. I'm just happy that he's alive."

Ofahengaue was unconscious at the scene of the accident, but blood tests later revealed an alcohol level of .155.

For his guilty plea, the charge was reduced from a DUI to driving impaired, a class B misdemeanor, and a second charge of driving on a revoked license was dropped.

He was ordered to pay a fine of $1,405, serve 48 hours of community service and to be under probation for one year.

Tevita Ofahengaue said afterward that they're still unsure what the plan is going forward at the U., but that Moana will play football again somewhere.

"I think he's a good kid," Tevita Ofahengaue told the court earlier. "I think he does need help, though."

Baxter responded: "Well, people make mistakes, and that keeps me in business, I'm sorry to say."

Ofahengaue, a team captain at Westlake High, redshirted last season. Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham declined comment.

Twitter: @matthew_piper