Professional football player Hines Ward grew up in the Atlanta area and still considers himself a Georgian. Ward -- a Pittsburgh Steeler icon, former Super Bowl MVP, four-time Pro Bowl selection and likely future hall of fame player -- has spoken many times of his strong and enduring memories of growing up in Clayton County and later developing into a star player at the University of Georgia.
He now adds another memory to the list, which he undoubtedly wishes would just go away: an arrest for drunk driving.
That episode occurred early this past Saturday morning outside Atlanta, with sheriff's officials stating that the 35-year-old was stopped and subsequently booked into the DeKalb County jail at about 3:40 a.m. after being charged with driving under the influence.
The sheriff's office reportedly deflected scores of phone calls and e-mail messages following the incident, with Ward's public persona being amplified far beyond the norm for a professional athlete following the popularity he garnered from participating in the widely viewed television show "Dancing with the Stars." Ward won that contest.
Now his attorney hopes that he can prevail in his current legal dilemma. Ward's lawyer stated that Ward cooperated fully with police, adding that, "We are confident that the facts will show that Hines was not impaired by alcohol while driving."
Ward is the second high-profile athlete to have been charged with DUI in the Atlanta area recently. As we reported in a May 3 blog post, Atlanta Braves pitcher Derek Lowe was arrested in late April on a drunk driving charge. That case was ultimately dismissed, with the City of Atlanta dropping all charges against Lowe.
Related Resource: Los Angeles Times, "Steelers' Hines Ward charged with DUI" July 9, 2011
