Former University of Texas star running back Cedric Benson is a renewed focus of media attention today. The former first round pick was charged with driving while intoxicated this past weekend.
He was arrested in Austin shortly before 3 on Saturday morning. A police officers pulled Benson’s BMW over after spotting the vehicle going about 12 mph over the speed limit. After pulling into a convenience store parking lot, Benson declined to take sobriety tests, according to news reports.
The arresting officers says the former Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals running back also disregarded instructions to stay seated in his car. Benson told the cop that he wanted to go inside the store.
The officers noted in his report of the incident that Benson’s eyes were glassy, his speech was mumbled and that he swayed. He also had an odor of alcohol, the report states, and was “talkative, uncooperative [and] cocky.”
When the cop asked Benson to recite the alphabet, the former All-American said “he couldn’t do that because he played 8 years in the NFL.” The officers’s report also states that Benson claimed he could not count higher than 3.
Benson’s statements have been subjected to some ridicule in the media. However, it should be noted that research has found that a significant percentage of former NFL players have suffered permanent brain injuries from repeated head trauma.
We do not know any details of his arrest or health condition, but we do know that anyone who faces a Texas DWI should contact an attorney experienced in effective drunk driving defense.