Former NFL rushing leader Adrian Peterson was discovered slumped over the steering wheel of his black SUV — engine running — at a Houston-area gas station early Sunday, moments before police arrested him on driving while intoxicated and unlawful weapon charges.
The 40-year-old ex-Minnesota Vikings star, a 2012 league MVP, remained in Fort Bend County Jail on Monday without an attorney listed in records. It’s Peterson’s second DWI arrest this year.
Witness Spots ‘Dozing’ Driver
A gas station patron alerted authorities after spotting Peterson “dozing off” in the driver’s seat around 10 a.m. Sunday at a Sugar Land location, according to photos obtained by media outlets. The images show him hunched forward, clutching his cellphone, with the vehicle idling.
Officers arrived and roused Peterson from the SUV. Inside, they discovered a handgun, prompting the weapons charge, confirmed Sugar Land police spokeswoman Alicia Alaniz.
Peterson failed field sobriety tests and registered a preliminary blood-alcohol level of 0.14% — well over Texas’ 0.08% legal limit — sources told reporters.
Admission to Police: Poker and Vodka
Law enforcement reports indicate Peterson admitted to officers that he’d been drinking vodka at a private poker game just hours earlier via TMZ Sports. The session reportedly wrapped in the pre-dawn hours, after which he got behind the wheel.
Neither Peterson nor his representatives have commented publicly on the incident.
Second DWI in Seven Months
This marks Peterson’s latest brush with the law. In April, Minneapolis police pulled him over for speeding — 83 mph in a 55 zone — following a Vikings draft party appearance. A breath test there also clocked 0.14%. Charges are pending from that case.
Both arrests are Class B misdemeanors in their respective states.
Vikings Legend’s Legacy
Peterson, a Palestine, Texas, native and Oklahoma Sooners alum, exploded onto the NFL scene as the Vikings’ No. 7 pick in 2007. His 2,097-yard MVP campaign in 2012 remains legendary. Over 15 seasons with six teams, he amassed 14,918 rushing yards and 120 touchdowns — fifth on the NFL’s all-time list.
Now retired and residing near Houston, Peterson’s fall from gridiron grace underscores the perils facing ex-athletes.
Jail records showed no bond posted as of Monday evening. A court date has not been set.
Flip the page for drunk Adrian Peterson and an old video of him being beaten up at a Poker game.
