Former NFL defensive lineman Barry Cofield, who played for the New York Giants during their 2008 Super Bowl run, has reportedly pled not guilty to all charges stemming from his July arrest.
According to reports, Cofield was arrested in Seminole County, Florida in the early hours of the morning on July 3 following a police chase. Cofield was originally booked on charges of heroin possession, assaulting an officer, DUI, resisting arrest and fleeing from police - but the charges have since been reduced to heroin possession and DUI causing damage or injury, according to TMZ.
If convicted, he faces up to 5 years in prison.
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Police say that Cofield's car was stopped on an off ramp from at approximately 2:30 a.m., with Cofield "passed out" in the driver's seat. According to the arrest report (H/T USA Today), Cofield awoke after several minutes but decided to drive away instead of putting his car in park as instructed by officers on the scene.
Per USA Today:
"As a police car pursued with lights and sirens on, Cofield did not travel faster than the speed limit nor make "evasive maneuvers," according to the arrest report. But he did swerve between lanes and side-swiped a vehicle at an intersection, police said."
"Cofield's path was later blocked by a second police car, according to the arrest report, and he crashed into the passenger side of that vehicle before exiting his car and being handcuffed."
Upon being arrested, police discovered two bags of heroin in Cofield's pocket and say he reeked of alcohol. Cofield, 34, played in the NFL from 2006-2015 with the Giants and Washington Redskins.