BRONCOS RB GORDON ARRESTED IN DUI CASE
Running back was allegedly driving 71 in a 35 mph zone near 5th and Speer
Broncos running back Melvin Gordon was excused from practice Wednesday, hours after he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and speeding according to documents filed in Denver County Court.
Gordon was driving 71 mph in a 35 mph zone late Tuesday when he was pulled over by Denver police near Fifth Ave., and Speer Blvd., according to a probable cause statement.
When officers approached Gordon, they noted his “speech was slurred, breath had a moderate odor of an unknown alcoholic beverage, balance was swaying, eyes were watery.”
Gordon consented to a field sobriety test, which he failed, the report said. The results of his blood test are pending. Along with driving under the influence, Gordon was cited for driving 25 mph to 39 mph over the speed limit, the documents show.
Normally, individuals arrested on suspicion of DUI are taken to Denver’s Downtown Detention Center. But under COVID- 19 protocols designed to limit the number of people in the city jail, police released Gordon at the scene to a sober driver, a Denver police spokesman said in an email.
Gordon is set for arraignment on Nov. 13.
Broncos coach Vic Fangio said he didn’t want Gordon to practice, “until we get to the bottom of everything — talk to the league ( and) get all of the facts in order before we make a decision on what we’re going to do and weigh the difference between what the mandated league punishment will be and anything we’ll want to do in addition to that.”
Under the new collective bargaining agreement, DUI arrests call for a three- game suspension, but the NFL generally refrains from a ruling until the legal process is completed.
Fangio was asked by The Denver Post during a video conference call if Gordon will be deactivated for Sunday’s game at New England as a form of internal punishment.
“Everything is open right now,” Fangio said. “We hope to have a
decision made by ( Thursday) or ( Friday).”
Fangio added: “Yeah, I’m disappointed, but my own two kids have disappointed me at some points in their lives and I’ve never stopped loving them anymore. ( Gordon) is one of us. We’re going to love him, but there will be some consequences to what happened ( Tuesday) night.”
Another layer to Gordon’s arrest was if he was violating the NFL’s COVID- 19 protocols by being out and about Tuesday night and mixing with individuals who aren’t a part of the league’s daily testing.
“The appropriate people are investing who he was around and all that,” Fangio said. “I’ve been told, so far, nothing has come of that, but obviously that’s yet to be determined ( fully).”
Last September, safety Kareem Jackson was arrested for DUI and he was suspended for the final two games of 2019 by the league ( forfeiting more than $ 350,000 in salary) after he pled guilty to one count of driving while ability impaired.
Jackson was not disciplined by the Broncos immediately following his arrest.
“( Jackson’s situation) is a little different on a couple of points,” Fangio said. “One, obviously, COVID does enter into everything we do these days and two, there was some gray area and indecision from the legal system in how it relates to Kareem and what he would be charged with so that factored into the decision at the time. I don’t think there is going to be much gray area on ( Gordon’s situation), but again, we’re still gathering all of the facts.”
Gordon is in his first season of a two- year, $ 16 million contract with the Broncos after signing as a free agent in the offseason. He has rushed for 281 yards in four games. His base salary this year is $ 9 million and divided by 17 weeks, so a suspension would cost him $ 529,411 per game. If he is deactivated by the Broncos, he will still be paid his salary.
Gordon entered the NFL in 2015 with the Los Angeles Chargers and has never been subject to league or team discipline.
If the Broncos choose to discipline Gordon via deactivation, they will turn to Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman to play tailback. Lindsay has missed the last three games with a toe injury, but is expected to be available against New England.