Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Ex-Lion Brandon Pettigrew arrested, accused of punching police officer

Arizona Cardinals v Detroit Lions

DETROIT MI - OCTOBER 11: Brandon Pettigrew #87 of the Detroit Lions looks on in the fourth quarter during the game against the Arizona Cardinals on October 11, 2015 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Former Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew has been arrested and accused of punching a police officer.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Pettigrew had a confrontation with a limousine driver when he refused to pay the $97 fare at 3 a.m. today. The driver called police, who found Pettigrew visibly intoxicated. When they asked him his name, he refused to give it, argued with officers and then punched an officer three times in the chest, according to the report.

Pettigrew was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, theft of services and public drunkenness.

The Lions chose Pettigrew in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. He played his entire career in Detroit, with his last game coming when he suffered a torn ACL midway through the 2015 season. Although he hasn’t officially announced his retirement, he is presumed to be done playing. Pettigrew was previously arrested for disorderly conduct and public drunkenness in 2017.