Vikings wide receiver Jerome Simpson is in yet another legal matter after being arrested early one Saturday morning on suspicion of drunk driving. He was arrested in Minneapolis.
According to a patrol spokesman, the 27-year-old football player was arrested after he got out of a stalled car on Interstate 394. The state trooper claimed Simpson’s eyes were watery and that his speech was slurred. After failing a field sobriety test, he was arrested and brought down to the Hennepin County Jail.
Simpson was booked into the Hennepin County Jail at 5:39 a.m. He refused a breath test and was released shortly before 1 p.m. after his bail was set. The Vikings player posted a $12,000 bond.
For Simpson, this is not his first run-in with the law as he is currently on probation for a September 2011 incident where authorities seized 2.5 pounds of marijuana that was supposedly on its way to Simpson’s home. Police ended up performing a search of Simpson’s home, which is when six pounds of marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found.
While originally facing a felony drug trafficking charge, Simpson ended up pleading guilty to a lesser felony charge. In the plea agreement, authorities agreed the marijuana was intended for personal use and the use of Simpson’s friends.
For his guilty plea, Simpson was put on probation for three years. It is not yet known how a drunk driving charge or possible conviction will end up impacting his probation.
Overall though, while this case may involve a Vikings player, there are plenty of Minneapolis and St. Paul residents who are arrested on suspicion for drunk driving. Those who are arrested — just like Simpson — should know they may have legal options. An attorney with experience handling this area of law can provide more information.
Source: StarTribune, “Vikings’ Jerome Simpson arrested on suspicion of drunken driving,” Joy Powell, Nov. 11, 2013