New England Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard was arrested and cited Thursday for driving under the influence. But Dennard's camp paints a different picture of what happened before he was arrested by the Lincoln (Neb.) Police Department.
Dennard's camp says he was not asked to take a blood test and that he did not "fail" the field sobriety test. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Friday that Dennard attempted to blow for a Breathalyzer at least twice, according to a source who heard specifics of the cornerback's side of the incident. That number was believed to be below the legal limit, but his attempts to take the test didn't register because he didn't blow hard enough into the device to officers' qualifications. He was not asked to take a blood test.
The source told Rapoport the results of the field sobriety test did not indicate someone under the influence. Dennard did not "fail" it, he was told.
The police department said field sobriety tests were done and that Dennard would not provide an adequate breath sample. The outcome of the tests were not released by police. Dennard also was cited for refusal of a chemical test and straddling lane lines.
When asked about the version of events from Dennard's camp, Lincoln Police Department spokeswoman Katie Flood reiterated to NFL.com and NFL Network on Friday that the officers involved had "probable cause" to believe Dennard was driving under the influence of alcohol. But she would not give any details of how the tests went, saying department policy and other state guidelines discouraged the release of such details.
The Patriots released the following statement after Dennard's arrest: "The New England Patriots are extremely disappointed to learn of Alfonzo Dennard's arrest. We take this matter very seriously and are working to get more information on the incident."
Dennard previously was sentenced to 30 days in jail and 24 months of probation after he was found guilty of assaulting a police officer in Lincoln. He was scheduled to serve that jail sentence beginning in March 2014.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
