KVUE News in Austin, Texas, is reporting that Bears running back Cedric Benson was arrested early this morning by the Travis County Sheriff’s department. The report does not give a reason for the arrest, but does say Benson is out on bond. link http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/05/04/cedric-benson-arrested/
Cedric Benson was reportedly arrested early Sunday in Texas for boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest. He is currently free on bond. Just what he needs. And this isn't Benson's first infraction; he was found guilty of breaking into a woman's house as a collegiate in '04. It wound up costing him time in the Del Valle Correctional Facility. He was arrested in 2002 on marijuana charges. The reason for Sunday's arrest is uncertain. Source: Kvue.com http://rotoworld.com/content/home_NFL.aspx
I saw this after my initial post. Boating while intoxicated is a bad judgement call but far from a major issue IMO. I understand and respect it is VERY dangerous and I am not discounting the severity, but it is pale in regards to say....emptying a pistol into a car that is speeding away..
true, but it seriously escalates with the resisting arrest charge. He's a strong dude, I wonder just how hard he resisted, or if it was a tack on.
Somewhere, Matt Forte is smiling at this news. The intoxication piece, while stupid and dumb, isn't as bad as the resisting arrest piece for Benson. Also, I feel like the image of the NFL just took another hit - another high profile player being involved in an arrest. Goodell has some work to do from a PR standpoint.
BENSON WAS PEPPER SPRAYED DURING ARREST Benson was charged with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest, both Class B misdemeanors. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Benson, who was on his 30-foot boat with 12 to 15 others, is out on $14,500 bail. link http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/05/04/benson-was-pepper-sprayed-during-arrest/
Nahhh. Benson was ANYTHING but a "High Profile" player. It is more a hit on the Chi Bears and why in the world they let Thomas Jones go. Although maybe not any better Talentwise, he difenately has a MUCH better head on his shoulders...
Jones was better on the field as well. Its funny how many draft picks the Bears have wasted on Running Backs, its almost an annual event for them to pick a 1st day Rb, and they had a good RB on their roster and let him go for a bust. They have a really poor front office group.
What a shame for Benson... A lot of talent, just couldnt ever put it together, and when it finally started to look like he was, he goes down with the injury, then the bears draft Forte, now this news... Looks like Benson is definately on his way out...
update BENSON SOUNDS OFF Bears running back Cedric Benson isn’t taking his recent arrest for boating under the influence quietly. Benson has told multiple media outlets that he was fine, and that he generally didn’t do anything wrong. “I was not intoxicated,” Benson said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “There was alcohol on the boat, and others were enjoying themselves, but I wasn’t drunk.” link http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/05/05/benson-sounds-off/
The Bears would take a $6 million salary cap hit to cut Cedric Benson. The hit would be $2.5 million to designate him a post-June 1 cut. Chicago needs the cap room to sign Devin Hester, Robbie Gould, and Tommie Harris to extensions, so Benson will likely to be on the team. The worst part of it is that Benson isn't a viable reserve because he doesn't play special teams, pass block, or help on third downs. He could be inactive in most weeks. Source: Chicago Sun Times http://www.rotoworld.com/content/home_NFL.aspx
Benson says officers used excessive force, will fight charges http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/nfl/05/05/benson.denies.charges.ap/index.html
According to the police report, Cedric Benson exhibited bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and a "strong" alcohol odor before he was arrested. Officials thought he was drunk because he was crying, but at other times cooperative. Benson was also described as "combative," "insulting," and "****y." The lake he was boating on already has four drownings this year. Source: Chicago Sun Times http://www.rotoworld.com/content/home_NFL.aspx
FIRST PHOTO OF BENSON SCENE On Tuesday, Elizabeth Cartwright told the Chicago Tribune that her fiance has cell-phone photos supporting the contention of Bears running back Cedrick Benson that he wasn’t boating while drunk and that the police used excessive force on him. Though such photographic evidence has yet to be produced, Cartwright has given the Tribune one of the photos, an innocuous shot of Benson, his mom, and a friend. In the image, Benson seems to be enjoying some Sun Chips (man those are good . . . now I’m going to have to go buy some . . . who says advertising isn’t effective?). http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/05/07/first-photo-of-benson-scene/
