Police: Winston avoided walking in front of deputy

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston appeared to pause to avoid walking in front of a deputy before leaving a supermarket without paying for crab legs and crawfish, according to a sheriff's office incident report.

A Leon County sheriff's deputy who reviewed security video of the incident involving the Florida State University quarterback and baseball closer said Winston can be seen walking from the Publix supermarket's seafood counter to a dairy case, where he picked up a package of butter.

But before leaving the store, he stopped near bins of sale items near the front entrance as off-duty Deputy Marc Graves passed.

''Mr. Winston paused visibly near a series of sale bins and allowed Deputy Graves to pass in front of him. The pause appeared to be an attempt to avoid walking in front of Deputy Graves. Mr. Winston then walked behind Deputy Graves, passed all points of sale, and exited the store without paying for the merchandise,'' said the report prepared by Deputy Michael Crego.

Winston told deputies he walked out and forgot to pay for three pounds worth of Old Bay seasoned steamed crab legs and a pound of Cajun seasoned crawfish. But he said he didn't take the butter. He said he decided on the way out of the store that he didn't need it and placed it in a sale bin instead of returning it to the dairy cooler.

The report says deputies were unable to determine whether Winston took the butter or placed it in the sale bin.

Winston signed a civil citation admitting he committed petit theft and was suspended from FSU's baseball team for three games until he completed 20 hours of community service.

''Mr. Winston apologized repeatedly and stated he wanted to `make it right,''' Crego wrote.