Nationals’ Jayson Werth pleads guilty to reckless driving charge

Nationals left fielder Jayson Werth pleaded guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor reckless driving charge and will serve five days in jail.

The charge stems from a July incident in which Werth was driving 105 mph in a 55-mph zone on Interstate 495. Werth was found guilty in Fairfax County District Court in December and subsequently appealed the verdict. He agreed to a plea agreement Thursday that cut his original 10-day jail sentence in half.

According to The Washington Post, which first reported the plea agreement Thursday morning, Werth’s driver’s license will be suspended for 30 days and he will be allowed to serve his sentence on weekends in order to continue rehabilitating his surgically-repaired right shoulder during the week. 

NBC4 later reported that Werth will begin serving his sentence Friday.

“We are aware of the agreement reached today. It is clear that Jayson has taken this matter seriously and with great personal reflection,” a Nationals spokesperson said in a statement. “We do not condone reckless behavior, and we expect all members of the Washington Nationals organization to act in a responsible manner. We support Jayson, who is an integral part of the community and of the Washington Nationals family.”

The 35-year-old Werth signed a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Nationals in 2010. Earlier this month, he underwent surgery to repair the AC joint in his right shoulder and was expected to miss 2-3 months.