Oregon assistant coach Ra’Shaad Samples is in deeper legal trouble, and it’s another headache for Dan Lanning. A judge denied the 31-year-old’s DUII diversion request, shutting down a potential path to having the charge dismissed. Now, the assistant head coach faces a possible trial or plea deal, putting Oregon’s coaching staff under renewed scrutiny.

The case stems from April 12, 2026, when Samples allegedly backed his 2026 Ford F-150 into a parked vehicle owned by Steven James Young. Video obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive in August showed Samples leaving the initial scene.

Oregon reporter Ryan Clarke reported on X that Samples was denied DUII diversion after passengers in the vehicle he allegedly struck testified about their injuries. Clarke also reported that the case now includes a hit-and-run charge involving property damage and could proceed to trial unless Samples reaches a plea agreement with prosecutors.

Young testified that he continues to suffer from a shoulder injury, while his three passengers also reported injuries. One teenage passenger described “agonizing” lower-back pain that forced her to miss her high school sports season.

Samples’ attorney, Bryan Boender, challenged whether the collision caused the reported injuries through expert witness Dr. Wilson C. Hayes, who described the impact as a “minor, minor collision” and argued that the vehicle “hardly moves at all.”

“The April 12 contact does not provide a scientifically reliable biomechanical or anatomical mechanism for permanent structural injury” to the occupants, Hayes testified, according to KVAL.

But the defense’s argument failed to secure diversion. Assistant Judge Robert Schrank rejected the petition, leaving Samples facing potential penalties if convicted, including 48 hours in jail or 80 hours of community service, fines, license suspension, and court-ordered treatment. The ruling does not establish his guilt or determine the cause of the reported injuries. His next court appearance is scheduled for December 3.

The controversy also raises questions about Lanning’s handling of discipline at Oregon. Samples remains the Ducks’ assistant head coach and running backs coach, despite publicly acknowledging his conduct during fall camp in August.

“Back in April, I made some decisions that I regret, and I wish I could take back,” Samples said. “They were addressed back in April, and Coach Lanning did hold me accountable. I have to take full accountability of that, and I’ll continue to take full accountability of that.”

Lanning had already defended Oregon’s handling of the incident on August 6, insisting the program was aware of Samples’ conduct from the beginning.

“We were aware of this back in April when it first happened,” Lanning said. “One, we take it extremely seriously. There’s accountabilities that are required, and they were required in this moment. On the same note, they’ve been completed.”

Lanning maintained that the matter had been handled internally, but the latest court ruling has brought the incident back into focus. Oregon has not announced additional disciplinary action, and Samples remains under contract through January 31, 2028.

With four regular-season games remaining as of November 2, Lanning faces renewed scrutiny over a senior assistant whose criminal case remains unresolved. Whether Oregon’s earlier disciplinary response will be its final action remains unclear.