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Redskins rookie Taylor arrested on drunken driving charge

By JOSEPH WHITE, AP Sports Writer
October 28, 2004

AP - Oct 28, 2:43 pm EDT



ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Washington Redskins rookie Sean Taylor was arrested early Thursday on charges of driving under the influence and refusing a breathalyzer test, the latest setback in a tumultuous year for the No. 5 overall draft pick.

Taylor was pulled over by a Virginia state trooper at about 2:45 a.m. EDT, on Washington's Interstate 495 beltway. The officer suspected Taylor had been drinking, and Taylor then flunked some field sobriety tests, according to Virginia State Police Lt. Harry Newlin.

``During the traffic stop (the trooper) suspected Mr. Taylor of consuming alcohol,'' said Lt. Harry Newlin of the Virginia State Police. ``He failed some field sobriety tests, was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence. He refused a breath test.''

Taylor was held for four hours in the Fairfax County Jail and released on a $5,000 bond at about 10 a.m. He is due in court Dec. 1. A first offense is punishable by up to one year in prison and-or a $2,500 fine.

Taylor was detained and later released on an unsecured bond, pending a future court date. Taylor did not show up for the Redskins practice at noon. Coach Joe Gibbs said the team did not know his whereabouts.

``Our plan is to take a long hard look at it,'' Gibbs said. ``It sounds like it's serious, and we'll kind of deal with it with what we think is best for the team.''

Gibbs said it is ``very unlikely'' Taylor will play in Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. He said any further action would be announced after he has spoken to Taylor and learned the full details of the incident.

The former University of Miami safety has made headlines for all the wrong reasons since the Redskins selected him in April.

Taylor left the NFL's mandatory rookie symposium early and was fined $25,000. He showed up at his first minicamp wearing shorts that were so baggy that they kept falling to his knees. His vision was impaired temporarily at a later minicamp when a pile of shaving gel was squirted into his face by linebacker LaVar Arrington in a wayward prank.

Taylor also fired his agent within days of the draft, and his contract negotiations were delayed because he took so long to hire a new one. When he finally found an agent, he signed a seven-year, $18-million deal. He then fired the agent and rehired his original one. He also boycotted the media for a few weeks.

On the field, Taylor made a strong impression in exhibition games with three interceptions, but he was unable to work his way into the opening day starting lineup. He played sparingly in his first game, but he was a starter at free safety by Week 3 and had his first interception and first sack the Redskins' last game, a 13-10 victory over Chicago before the bye week.

patjam77 wrote:Unreal... The only real thing these rich athletes have to do is stay out of trouble and some can't do that? Taylor can't afford a taxi? Unreal... I'm canceling my jersey order. That's just plain STUPID!

FanfromAnnapolis wrote:I wish he was the kind of player that was up until 4:00 am studying game film. . .