Bobby Jenks Arrested, Charged With DUI In Florida
BOSTON (CBS) -- Boston Red Sox pitcher Bobby Jenks was arrested early Friday morning in Ft. Myers, Florida and charged with DUI.
According to the Lee County Sheriff's department, Jenks was arrested at 3:43 a.m. and charged with driving under the influence, damaging property and leaving the scene of a crash.
Read: Jenks Police Report (.pdf)
The police report says Jenks admitted to taking "too many muscle relaxers."
Police issued Jenks a breath test, and his results were .000. The report also indicates that he was unable to produce a urine sample, though he did try.
Jenks was spotted by police after driving his white Mercedes Benz SUV and taking a turn at a high speed, "causing the vehicle's weight to shift drastically." The car crossed over all three southbound lanes of Cleveland Ave., and he drove onto the sidewalk before getting pulled over.
When asked if he knew why he was getting pulled over, Jenks replied, "Probably because I was all over the road back there ... Because I took too many muscle relaxers."
He then admitted to police that he had hit a car at Babe's, an adult nightclub in Fort Myers, and he "just had to get out of there."
A bouncer at Babe's told police he saw Jenks hit two vehicles with his SUV, telling the bouncer he had taken muscle relaxers before driving off around 11:45 p.m. Thursday night.
Jenks was shaking uncontrollably, according to the report, but paramedics arrived on the scene and determined he was "in good health" and did not have any type of medical condition.
Police asked Jenks to take a field sobriety test. He agreed but said, "I'm going to fail it."
When he struggled to follow directions while walking heel-to-toe for nine steps and turning, he told the officer, "I can't do this." When the officer asked why, Jenks replied, "I'm messed up."
Jenks was arrested. He spent the night in jail and was released at 8:45 a.m. after posting more than $4,000 in bail.
He's due back in court April 9.
There has been no comment yet from the Red Sox.
Jenks, 31, has had problems with alcohol in the past, though he said in 2010 that he had quit drinking.
This past offseason, he underwent back surgery that had complications, forcing him to return to the hospital for emergency surgery.
Jenks pitched in just 19 games for the Red Sox last year, posting a career-high 6.32 ERA and a career-high 2.234 WHIP.
Jenks wasn't expected to pitch until midseason this year due to extended recoveries from his surgeries.
The reliever was released by the Angels in 2004 when the franchise grew tired of his regular drinking, including on team bus trips, and an incident in which he reportedly lit his hand and forearms on fire.
"We feel really lucky that Bobby wanted to pitch here, and we were able to get someone of his caliber to join our bullpen and help [Daniel Bard] set up for [Jonathan Papelbon]," former Boston general manager Theo Epstein said after signing Jenks. "It's not every day you can bring in someone of his caliber without a closer opening. We feel lucky that it happened."
The Red Sox released a statement on Jenks on Friday afternoon, saying, "We have been made aware of a situation regarding Bobby Jenks and take such matters seriously. We are gathering information and will refrain from further comment at this time."
