Indianapolis Colts Owner Jim Irsay Arrested for DUI
Colts owner Jim Irsay was arrested Sunday by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office for driving under the influence in the Indianapolis suburb of Carmel. Irsay also faces four felony counts for possession of a controlled substance, discovered during his arrest. The Sheriff’s Office released 54-year-old Irsay on Monday and he is expected to appear in court on March 26. After he was pulled over and found to be driving under the influence, police found a few different kinds of prescription drugs inside his vehicle. After the news broke of Irsay’s arrest ESPN reported that a close friend of Irsay’s stated that he “needs help” and that their “fingers [are] crossed” that this is a “wake-up call” for the Colts owner. Irsay had stated in 2002 that after a few orthopedic operations he had become dependent on painkillers and was seeking treatment. After his arrest this week, many fans have extended support and Irsay thanked them on Twitter stating: Deepest thx to family, friends, fans, colleagues for the messages of support, thoughts and prayers. Impossible to tell u how much this means — Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) March 17, 2014 If Irsay is convicted of the felony charges for the prescription drugs he could see prison time from six months up to two years for each count. Irsay was caught with Schedule IV drugs, which could include Xanax, Darvocet, and Ambien. The Colts have released a statement in support of their owner. The statement read, “The club continues to fully support Mr. Irsay but must refrain from commenting further at least until formal charges have been filed…a hearing is tentatively scheduled for next Wednesday, March 26.” Irsay became the owner of the Colts in 1997 after his father, Robert Irsay, passed away. Since January 2010, he is the seventh Colts player or official to be arrested.
