Tom GantertWindermere, FL – Former Major League Baseball (MLB) star Johnny Damon blew almost four times the legal limit on a breathalyzer after he was charged with resisting arrest during a recent DUI traffic stop in Florida.
The incident occurred at about 1:23 a.m. on Feb. 19 after a police officer saw Damon’s SUV swerve, hit a curb, and run past a stop sign, ESPN reported.
Officers said the former ballplayer’s speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet, TMZ reported.
He told police he had consumed “just a little bit” of alcohol, “motioning with his left hand and fingers in a small pinching motion,” according to the police report.
The police report said that the officers told Damon’s wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon, to stay in the car until another officer arrived on the scene, ESPN reported.
But Mangan-Damon ignored the order and got out of the car.
The police report said the officer grabbed Damon’s wife by the wrist and pushed her up against the vehicle, ESPN reported.
Damon tried to intervene and pushed himself in between his wife and the officer and a scuffle ensued.
Another officer arrived on the scene and assisted the first in taking both Damon and Mangan-Damon into custody, ESPN reported.
Once the couple were handcuffed and separated, Damon was asked to perform a sobriety test.
The first test required the former baseball player to follow a red LED light with only his eyes and without moving his head, ESPN reported.
The police report said Damon kept turning his head to follow the light despite repeated instructions not to do so.
He stumbled after just three steps during during the walk and turn test and apologized, ESPN reported.
The police report said he then held out his arms to give himself balance and took eight more steps.
Mangan-Damon told police while they were stopped that she had a nanny at home with six children, TMZ reported.
The police officer called the nanny and told her that Damon and his wife were going to jail and “would not be home for some time,” according to the police report.
Damon agreed to take a breath test at a DUI testing center a short time later despite the objections of his wife, TMZ reported.
His blood-alcohol level measured between .300 and .294, almost four times the state’s legal limit of .08.
Damon was charged with DUI, running a stop sign, and resisting an officer without violence, ESPN reported.
Mangan-Damon was arrested for battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence, according to TMZ.
“Jail sucks, handcuffs are worse,” Damon told reporters as he left the jail, WKMG reported.
“I’m always accountable for my actions and we’ll see what happens soon,” Damon said. “But, I will be honest with you and always be accountable and like I said I would never put myself, my loved ones or anybody in harm’s way getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. So, I apologize and hopefully, I can answer more questions later on.”
Damon played Major League Baseball for 18 years, ESPN reported.
He made an estimated $111.7 million during his career.
Damon played on two all-star teams during his career and won a World Series in 2004 with the Boston Red Sox, according to ESPN.
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