Details Emerge In Johnny Damon's DUI Arrest
BOSTON (CBS) -- Details have emerged from Johnny Damon's DUI arrest in Florida last week. The former Red Sox and MLB outfielder had a blood-alcohol level of nearly four times the legal limit after his arrest, according to police reports.
Both Damon and his wife, Michelle, were arrested in the early hours of Friday, Feb. 19. Damon was charged with driving under the influence and resisting an officer without violence. Michelle was arrested for battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence.
Officers began following Damon's SUV just before 1:30 a.m. last Friday when the vehicle was spotted driving erratically. Both of its left tires were on the yellow line when it passed an officer monitoring traffic from the shoulder, and the SUV drifted back and forth in the travel lane as it continued on. Damon missed the white stop line when he pulled up to a stop sign at an intersection, and nearly struck a guardrail while taking a turn. The vehicle's right tires were out of the road and on the grass shoulder after the turn.
Damon and his wife both immediately left the SUV after being pulled over, and the responding officer had to give orders to return to the vehicle. Damon was unsteady and slurred his speech during the traffic stop, and officers detected the smell of alcohol on him. When asked how much he had to drink that evening, Damon replied "...just a little bit" while making a small pinching motion with his fingers.
Michelle did not follow orders to stay in the vehicle while Damon was being interviewed by the responding officer, and eventually became violent with the officer as she tried to enter the driver side of the vehicle. Damon intervened despite orders to stand back, and Michelle was able to break free. Both were later put in handcuffs when other officers responded to the scene.
Damon agreed to undergo field sobriety tests, saying multiple times that he would perform the exercises because he was "a big boy," according to police reports. Damon was unable to pass any of the tests, and a few hours later, he underwent breath tests at the Orange County DUI Testing Center. Damon agreed to undergo the tests despite Michelle telling him not to, with his first sample registering 0.300 and his second at 0.294. The legal limit in the state of Florida is 0.08.
Charges of resisting an officer without violence were added on when Damon failed to obey commands at the scene and became involved with the struggle involving his wife.
Damon was released from jail Friday, and told WMG that, "Jail sucks, handcuffs are worse. Jail is horrible."