Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard was arrested early Thursday morning on suspicion of DUI, which led the Patriots to issue a statement saying they were “extremely disappointed” to learn of the arrest.
Dennard hasn’t issued a formal statement of his own, but Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network spoke to someone who has heard Dennard’s side of the story and the second-year cornerback takes issue with some parts of the police report.
According to the police report, Dennard was pulled over after he was spotted straddling a lane line and that the officer who approached the car administered a field sobriety test after smelling alcohol. The report also indicates that Dennard failed to comply with the tests, which is one of the charges he faces along with suspicion of DUI and the initial driving infraction.
According to Rapoport’s report, however, Dennard says he blew into the Breathalyzer twice and that the officer told him he registered a BAC below the level for a DUI. Dennard also said that the officer told him he did not blow hard enough, which led to the did not comply charge, and that he was never asked to take a blood test. Dennard also claims that he passed the field sobriety test given at the scene.
Dennard still faces a 30-day jail sentence after being found guilty of assaulting a police officer before the Patriots drafted him last year. That sentence is scheduled to be served next March, but Dennard also faces two years of probation that he could be guilty of violating if he’s found guilty on the charges stemming from Thursday’s traffic stop.