Police: Aldon Smith ‘appeared as if he had been drinking’

San Francisco 49ers defensive star Aldon Smith was detained at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday after he allegedly yelled “bomb” in a terminal. He was booked into Los Angeles jail on false report of a bomb threat.

According to CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco, LAX Police Sgt. Karla Ortiz said Smith was not administered a blood-alcohol test because his arrest was not alcohol related. However, she said Smith appeared to have been drinking at some point during the day.

“He was not what we considered to be intoxicated, but he appeared as if he had been drinking earlier in the day,” Ortiz explained.

The police may not have been concerned about whether Smith was drinking or not, but the 49ers should be. Smith took a voluntary leave of absence last year to enter rehab for his substance abuse issues after he was arrested on suspicion of DUI and possession of pills and marijuana. Given his laundry list of off-the-field issues, I’m sure the Niners would prefer that Smith not drink at all.

As for the arrest, it was initially reported that Smith was randomly selected for a secondary screening while going through airport security. Ortiz later added that the 24-year-old was going through the screening when he asked if he would be searched further. He was told that would not be necessary and allegedly gave the following response.

“Why not? I have a bomb.”

Niners general manager Trent Baalke released a statement on Smith’s arrest Sunday evening.

“We are disappointed to learn of the incident today involving Aldon Smith,” Baalke said. “As this is a pending legal matter and we are still gathering the pertinent facts, we will have no further comment.”

How many strikes does this guy get? The 49ers have done all they can to keep Smith, who is one of the premier pass rushers in the game, but their hands may finally be tied. It’s going to reflect poorly on the organization if they keep letting him get away with stuff.