Police reveal details of Colts owner's arrest
By CHARLES D. WILSON
CARMEL, Ind. (AP) - Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay had $29,000 in cash and bottles of prescription drugs in his vehicle when he was arrested on suspicion of intoxicated driving and other charges, according to the arrest report.
The cash was in Irsay's wallet, metal briefcase and two laundry bags. The briefcase and bags, which were on the front passenger-side floor, also contained bottles of pills of various colors, including orange, green and white ones, the police report states.
Irsay, 54, denied being drunk when he was arrested in suburban Carmel on March 16, although the billionaire was so disoriented that officers made him sit on the hood of a patrol car to keep him from falling, the report said. The arresting officer said he "believed Irsay to be intoxicated on a substance other than alcohol," according to the report.
The arrest report listed a dozen pieces of evidence identified as prescription drugs, but it didn't specify which drugs they were. Irsay told the officer that he had taken several prescription medications that day but had not been drinking.
The contents of the arrest report by Carmel police were first reported Thursday by The Indianapolis Star, which obtained the report through a public records request.
Irsay's attorney, James Voyles did not return phone calls from The Associated Press seeking comment Thursday. His spokeswoman, Myra Borshoff Cook, had no comment.
The report said an officer pulled over Irsay's slow-moving SUV after it stopped twice on a city street for no apparent reason and failed to use a turn signal. Police said Irsay told the officer that he sometimes has trouble finding his home. The Star reported that Irsay bought a home in late February less than a half-mile from where he was stopped.
"I observed the vehicle come to a complete stop on W. Main Street for no apparent reason. ... As I was approaching the vehicle it began to slowly move eastbound and came to another complete stop in the lane of travel for no apparent reason," Officer James Morris wrote in the report.
Earlier this week, prosecutors postponed an initial court appearance for Irsay "unless or until" formal charges are filed against him. Irsay was arrested on preliminary charges of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated on a controlled substance and four felony counts of possession of a controlled substance. The report said police don't believe Irsay was drunk when he was arrested.
Hamilton County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Andre Miksha said prosecutors are not bound by preliminary booking charges.
Irsay's family said after his arrest that he is undergoing treatment "to help him meet his challenges head-on" at a facility outside of Indiana. They have not identified the facility.
Irsay acknowledged in 2002 that he had become dependent on painkillers after several years of orthopedic operations but said he had overcome the problem after undergoing treatment.
The report said Irsay stumbled out of his SUV and failed field sobriety tests, such as having to stand on one foot. After Irsay refused a blood draw, a judge approved a search warrant to draw his blood. Those results have not been released and the results of the breath test administered to Irsay at the scene were redacted from the report.
Refusing the blood test means Irsay's driver's license will be automatically suspended for one year.
Irsay declined to answer questions without his attorney present and was not questioned at the jail. He was released the following day.
CARMEL, Ind. (AP) - Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay had $29,000 in cash and bottles of prescription drugs in his vehicle when he was arrested on suspicion of intoxicated driving and other charges, according to the arrest report.
The cash was in Irsay's wallet, metal briefcase and two laundry bags. The briefcase and bags, which were on the front passenger-side floor, also contained bottles of pills of various colors, including orange, green and white ones, the police report states.
Irsay, 54, denied being drunk when he was arrested in suburban Carmel on March 16, although the billionaire was so disoriented that officers made him sit on the hood of a patrol car to keep him from falling, the report said. The arresting officer said he "believed Irsay to be intoxicated on a substance other than alcohol," according to the report.
The arrest report listed a dozen pieces of evidence identified as prescription drugs, but it didn't specify which drugs they were. Irsay told the officer that he had taken several prescription medications that day but had not been drinking.
The contents of the arrest report by Carmel police were first reported Thursday by The Indianapolis Star, which obtained the report through a public records request.
Irsay's attorney, James Voyles did not return phone calls from The Associated Press seeking comment Thursday. His spokeswoman, Myra Borshoff Cook, had no comment.
The report said an officer pulled over Irsay's slow-moving SUV after it stopped twice on a city street for no apparent reason and failed to use a turn signal. Police said Irsay told the officer that he sometimes has trouble finding his home. The Star reported that Irsay bought a home in late February less than a half-mile from where he was stopped.
"I observed the vehicle come to a complete stop on W. Main Street for no apparent reason. ... As I was approaching the vehicle it began to slowly move eastbound and came to another complete stop in the lane of travel for no apparent reason," Officer James Morris wrote in the report.
Earlier this week, prosecutors postponed an initial court appearance for Irsay "unless or until" formal charges are filed against him. Irsay was arrested on preliminary charges of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated on a controlled substance and four felony counts of possession of a controlled substance. The report said police don't believe Irsay was drunk when he was arrested.
Hamilton County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Andre Miksha said prosecutors are not bound by preliminary booking charges.
Irsay's family said after his arrest that he is undergoing treatment "to help him meet his challenges head-on" at a facility outside of Indiana. They have not identified the facility.
Irsay acknowledged in 2002 that he had become dependent on painkillers after several years of orthopedic operations but said he had overcome the problem after undergoing treatment.
The report said Irsay stumbled out of his SUV and failed field sobriety tests, such as having to stand on one foot. After Irsay refused a blood draw, a judge approved a search warrant to draw his blood. Those results have not been released and the results of the breath test administered to Irsay at the scene were redacted from the report.
Refusing the blood test means Irsay's driver's license will be automatically suspended for one year.
Irsay declined to answer questions without his attorney present and was not questioned at the jail. He was released the following day.
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