Tennessee baseball fans may be familiar with the performance of former Washington Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth on the field. However, he has run into some legal difficulties after being arrested for drunk driving in April. A video shows Werth refusing a field sobriety test at the time of his arrest. The player, who retired from professional baseball several months after the incident, was in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the time.
While he was initially pulled over by the police for driving with an expired registration, the officer conducting the traffic stop accused him of DUI during the incident. Werth said that it wasn’t his car, so he didn’t have the registration information involved. He also showed the police officer a card citing his status with Major League Baseball, noting that MLB works frequently with police agencies. Despite this appeal, however, the officer asked Werth to exit the car and perform field sobriety tests.
Werth refused to go through with the test, saying that he needed a lawyer to know his rights. He originally said he had nothing to drink and then said that he had one glass of wine earlier in the evening. He noted that people have had serious legal issues after assuming the police have their best interests in mind before being arrested and accused of DUI. The charges were settled as part of a plea agreement in late September, in which he agreed to pay fines and attend a diversion program.
It is important for drivers to know and protect their rights. The consequences of a DUI conviction can be significant and include costly fines and a suspended license. An attorney can help people charged with drunk driving to defend themselves before trial and in the courtroom.