(Update 1/26/2022) Las Vegas Raiders rookie cornerback Nate Hobbs has had DUI charges stemming from a January 3 arrest dropped due to his blood alcohol levels being under the legal limit. Hobbs has pleaded to a careless driving charge instead. Original story below;
As reported by TMZ Sports, Las Vegas Raiders rookie cornerback Nate Hobbs was arrested Monday morning, after police reportedly found the player passed out in the vehicle. Hobbs was arrested on one count of misdemeanor driving under the influence.
“On January 3, 2022 at approximately 4:09 a.m., LVMPD Dispatch received a call reference a driver asleep inside of the vehicle, which was parked on the exit ramp of a parking garage in the 3500 block of South Las Vegas Boulevard,” the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement. “Arriving officers made contact with the driver, identified as 22-year-old Nathan Hobbs. He was FST’s (field sobriety test) by patrol and failed. He was transported to the Clark County Detention Center where he was booked for DUI (misdemeanor).”
The arrest came hours after the Raiders massive victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Hobbs started the game, playing for 56 snaps and recording four tackles.
Hobbs’ attorneys put out a statement questioning the arrest.
“The facts and circumstances related by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to the news media leave serious concerns that this does not qualify as a DUI under Nevada law,” David Z. Chesnoff and Richard A. Schonfeld said.
On Monday, Raiders interim head coach Rich Bisaccia said he had been notified of Hobbs’ arrest.
“We’re just trying to collect as much information as we possibly can on what exactly happened and what the situation is,” Bisaccia said.
“I feel good about saying they’ve been hit over the face with distractions and things of that nature,” Bisaccia said. “We’re very cognizant of the city in which we live in, so I’ll leave it at that and we’ll see what it looks like at the end of the week.”
The Raiders put out a statement saying the organization was “in the process of gathering more information.”
“The Raiders are aware of the incident involving Nate Hobbs,” the statement said. “The organization has been in communication with local law enforcement and is in the process of gathering more information. We will have no further comment at this time.”
The Las Vegas NFL franchise has had a tumultuous year, losing its head coach Jon Gruden in October. Gruden resigned from his head coaching position following leaked emails sent between 2011-2018 that contained homophobic and racially insensitive language.
In November, Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was charged with DUI resulting in death following a car crash that left a 23-years-old woman dead. Ruggs has since been charged with two counts of reckless driving and with a misdemeanor for possessing a gun while under the influence, according to NPR. Ruggs was released by the Raiders.
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].