Ex-Longhorn running back [tag]Cedric Benson[/tag] was arrested over the weekend on Lake Travis for boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest. According to police, Saturday night he failed a sobriety test and resisted arrest strongly enough that officers had to use pepper spray and drag him ashore.
Benson’s side of the story is very different and according to his lawyer he is going to fight the charges. He claims he was not drunk, did not resist arrest, and was pepper sprayed unnecessarily:
“They gave me a field sobriety test, told me to say my ABCs and told me to count from 1 to 4 up and down,” Benson told the Chicago Tribune. “I’m thinking, I passed all the tests, did everything right. Then the officer told me we needed to go to land to take more tests. I politely asked him why we needed to go to land to take more tests when I took every test. Then he sprayed me with mace, on his boat.
“I’m not handcuffed. I’m not under arrest. I’m not threatening him. I’m not pushing him. I’m not touching him. And he sprays me right in my eye.”
Cedric believes he not only passed the sobriety test but was also cooperative with the police when his boat was stopped for a “random safety inspection.” That sure sounds like a possible BWB (boating while black) issue.
Not a good situation and even worse timing for Cedric as he was already going to spend training camp fighting for his starting gig in Chicago. These are pretty serious charges and a conviction could possibly even mean jail time. The Austin Police Department doesn’t exactly have the best track record and things here don’t seem exactly right, so hopefully Ced is innocent and things are cleared up as quickly as possible.
Note: Some people (including notoriously incorrect blowhard Colin Cowherd) have commented on Cedric’s mugshot as evidence he was drunk. I imagine being pepper sprayed in the face might have something to do with his bloodshot eyes in the photo.
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