NFL legend Adrian Peterson is facing multiple charges after he was arrested on Sunday, and some new details surrounding the incident have surfaced.
Peterson was arrested in Sugar Land, Texas, on Sunday morning and charged with driving while under the influence and unlawful carrying of a weapon. Police did not immediately release detailed information about the arrest and said the investigation was ongoing.
TMZ released photos on Tuesday that were taken by a witness who claims to have seen Peterson asleep at the wheel of his car. The witness said the engine was running and Peterson had his phone in his hand. The photos show a person slumped over with their head down in the driver’s seat.
A police report that was obtained by TMZ also stated that officers found Peterson asleep at the wheel of a black Mercedes SUV. When police got Peterson out of his vehicle, he allegedly exhibited signs of intoxication and failed field sobriety tests. A gun was found in the car when it was searched.
Peterson allegedly told an officer that he was coming from a card game and that he drank “approximately 2 to 3 shots of a Vodka mix” roughly 2-3 hours before the encounter. A witness who was at the same poker game told TMZ that Peterson was “drinking like a fish” and kept going to his car to get more money to play.
Peterson was released from custody late Monday afternoon.
The DWI arrest was Peterson’s second of the year. The former NFL MVP was also arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in April after he attended a Minnesota Vikings draft party.
Peterson, 40, has made headlines for the wrong reasons on numerous occasions since he last played in the NFL in 2021. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection was involved in a brawl at a poker game in May, though he described that as a “brother situation.” No arrests were made, but police were called to resolve the issue and a clip of the fight surfaced online.
In 2022, Peterson was arrested over an alleged domestic violence incident with his wife. The charges were dropped in that case. Peterson was also indicted by a grand jury in 2014 on charges of reckless or negligent injury to his child. He has had some other run-ins with police as well.
Peterson spent the bulk of his career with the Vikings from 2007-2016. He was named both NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in 2012, when he rushed for 2,097 yards and 12 touchdowns. Peterson still holds the record for most rushing yards in a single NFL game, which was the 296 he racked up in a 2007 game against the San Diego Chargers.
