Two professional Arizona sports players are facing DUI charges, according to reports released this week. Phoenix Suns player P.J. Tucker was arrested in May in Scottsdale and is reportedly being charged with a DUI. In a separate incident, Cardinals player John Abraham was arrested in Georgia last month for driving under the influence.
Busted For Drinking and Driving
Tucker is facing a very serious charge called super extreme DUI. A super extreme DUI is when blood alcohol content, or “BAC”, is found to be over 0.20. Tucker’s blood alcohol was reported to be 0.222, almost three times the legal limit. Police pulled Tucker over in Old Town Scottsdale after he allegedly rolled through a stop sign. Seemingly a minor and very common traffic offense, it is still enough to be considered “reasonable suspicion” allowing police to legally pull you over. Other common driving mistakes that can get you pulled over are: not using your signal, swerving in the lane, and driving too fast or too slow. Once pulled over, police can then begin to investigate you for driving under the influence and will quickly find cause to arrest you, such as slurred speech, an odor of alcohol, and bloodshot watery eyes.
If found guilty of super extreme DUI, Tucker faces 45 days in jail, fines in the thousands of dollars, interlock device installation for 18 months, jail fees, and attending alcohol classes and screenings.
Abraham is facing his DUI charges in Georgia, which has different statutes and penalties than Arizona. Both players will have to face the judges for their mistakes, but will also have to answer to their teammates, coaches, and their fans. DUI charges will stay on their records for the rest of their lives, as a reminder to be extremely careful when out drinking. Whether you are a famous sports personality or not, it is always worth the time and money to get a ride home after drinking.