INTOXICATED ROONEY ARRESTED IN USA
WAYNE ROONEY was arrested in America for public intoxication and swearing a month after his final England appearance against the USA. The former England captain, who received a two-year driving ban for drink-driving in September 2017, was arrested at Washington’s Dulles International Airport on December 16 after returning from a trip to Saudi Arabia. Court documents show that 33year-old Rooney paid a $25 fine plus $91 in costs on January 4. To add to his embarrassment a police mug-shot of Rooney was also released. Rooney’s spokesman last night issued a statement saying the arrest came when he was left ‘disorientated’ by prescribed sleeping tablets he took on a flight while drinking. The spokesman said: ‘Wayne took a prescribed amount of sleeping tablets mixed with some alcohol consumption and consequently was disorientated on arrival. He was approached by police who arrested him on a minor misdemeanour charge.’ His current club, MLS side DC United, said they would deal with the matter internally but it seems unlikely his position at the club is in jeopardy.
WAYNE Rooney was arrested for a drink-fuelled tirade at a US airport, it has emerged.
The former Manchester United star, 33, who now plays in America, was thought to be travelling back to England for Christmas with his family.
After being held by police at the airport in Washington DC, he was taken to a sheriff’s jail. A mugshot of him in a baggy red top was released by police.
Rooney, who plays for Major League Soccer club DC United, escaped the ‘misdemeanour’ charge with a $25 fine and $91 in costs. The incident is thought to
‘Disorientated by sleeping tablets’
have occurred at Dulles Airport on December 16 after the former Manchester United player returned from Saudi Arabia for the Riyadh Formula E grand prix.
Three days later Rooney retweeted a picture his wife Coleen, 32, had posted, saying he was ‘back home’ in the UK to celebrate Christmas with their sons.
Neither have referred to the airport incident on their social media feeds and, on December 22, Rooney appeared as a pundit on BT Sport for a Manchester United game. The arrest is unlikely to prevent Rooney playing for DC United when the US season starts in March after a winter break.
But it will be embarrassing for the team he joined last summer on a two-and-a-half-year $13million contract. It also means he is more likely to be pulled aside for questioning when he next tries to enter the US.
A spokesman for DC United said: ‘We are aware of news reports indicating that Wayne Rooney was arrested in December. We believe this is a private matter for Wayne that DC United will handle internally. We have no further comment.’
A spokesman for the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office said he had been booked into a detention centre on December 16 ‘on a charge of public intoxication stemming from an arrest by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police’.
They added that he was released on a ‘personal recognizance bond’, which requires a suspect to sign a promise to turn up to court if required and not get into any further trouble. A court hearing due to take place on January 24 has been waived after the fine was paid and it is not believed Rooney will face any further action.
Last night Rooney’s spokesman said he was arrested after he was left ‘disorientated’ by sleeping tablets he had taken on a flight from Saudi Arabia while drinking.
He added: ‘He was approached by police who arrested him on a minor misdemeanour charge.
‘He received a statutory automatic fine and was released. The matter is now at an end.’