Former Indianapolis Colts defensive end Robert Mathis was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated early Tuesday morning, but he apparently passed a breathalyzer test prior to being handcuffed.
Law enforcement sources told TMZ that Mathis blew a .052 when an officer administered a breathalyzer test. That number is well below the legal limit of .08, but Mathis apparently failed the field sobriety test and police determined he was impaired. Indiana state law allows a person to be arrested based on other tests besides a breathalyzer, which is what seems to have happened with Mathis.
According to police, Mathis was pulled over in the first place because he was driving the wrong way down a one-way street.
Alcohol isn’t the only substance that can impair a person’s ability to drive, so you can understand why passing a breathalyzer doesn’t automatically mean there will be no arrest. TMZ reports that no drugs were found in Mathis’ vehicle or on his person.
Mathis, who was hired by the Colts last month as a pass rushing consultant, is the Indy’s all-time leader in sacks with 123, and that mark places him 17th on the NFL’s list of career sacks leaders. He and Dwight Freeney were one of the most feared pass-rushing duos in the game for several years. Mathis was suspended after he tested positive for performance-enhancing drug use back in 2014, though he claimed he had a good excuse for the failed test.
