Bears RB Benson arrested
editor1 |May 04,2008
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AUSTIN, Texas (Ticker) -- Chicago Bears running back Cedric
Benson was arrested late Saturday night on charges of boating
while intoxicated and resisting arrest.
Benson failed a "float test" - an abbreviated version of a field
sobriety test - and became combative with police officers, who
then arrested him and pepper-sprayed the fourth-year running
back at approximately 9:30 p.m. local time.
Both charges are Class B misdemeanors.
Benson spent the night in jail and was released Sunday morning
after posting bond of $14,500 - $10,000 for the BWI charge and
$4,500 for the resisting arrest - said spokesman Roger Wade of
the Travis County Sheriff's Office.
The No. 4 overall pick of the Chicago Bears in 2005, Benson
played collegiately at nearby Texas.
According to the arrest report by the Lower Colorado River
Authority, Benson was operating a 30-foot boat with about 12-15
passengers aboard on Lake Travis when an LRCA officer made
contact with him shortly after 9 p.m.
After Benson failed the initial sobriety test, he argued with
officers about being taken to land to have a follow-up field
sobriety test.
Benson also refused to put on a life jacket, at which time one
of the officers decided to place him under arrest.
"Benson ... continued to present himself as a threat to the
officer, argue with him and refuse to do as the officer
requested, which resulted in the officer using pepper spray on
Benson," the LRCA statement read.
Even when he reached land, Benson would not cooperate with an
Authority officer, necessitating assistance from Travis County
Sheriff's Office deputies in removing him from the boat.
According to the report, the officers were "basically
carrying/dragging him to the deputy car for transport."
On Sunday, the final day of the team's three-day minicamp, Bears
coach Lovie Smith said he was "very disappointed" to learn of
Benson's arrest.
"I haven't had a chance to speak with Cedric yet, but anytime
we're talking about one of our players getting arrested, you're
disappointed in it," Smith said. "What we're going to do from
here, I'll go back and try to get as much information as I
possibly can and go from there."
The arrest could jeopardize Benson's future with the Bears. He
has been a disappointment in his brief career, failing to reach
1,000 yards rushing in his first three seasons in Chicago.
"We expect the guys to do what they're supposed to do when
they're supposed to do it," Smith said. "It's as simple as
that. Stay out of trouble. The same things your employers ask
you to do."
Benson's 2007 season was cut short by a broken leg, an injury
which sidelined him for the final five games.
Benson averaged a career low of 3.4 yards per carry last year,
finishing the season with 674 yards and four touchdowns on 196
carries.
While at Texas, Benson was arrested twice - on a misdemeanor
trespassing charge in 2003 for entering an apartment to retrieve
a television that he reported stolen, and on misdemeanor drug
and alcohol charges in 2002 that eventually were dropped.
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