Ex-Miami star and Jets rookie arrested and charged with DWI
New York Jets rookie tight end Christopher Herndon was arrested early Saturday morning and charged with driving while intoxicated after crashing his SUV into another vehicle, NJ.com reported.
The 22-year-old Herndon was driving westbound on Interstate 80 in Rockaway Township, New Jersey, when his Nissan Armada crashed into a Toyota FJ-40 Land Cruiser driven by Albert Elliott, 76, according to a State Police spokesman.
Herndon was taken away in handcuffs around 4:45 a.m., the report said.
The Miami Herald reported Elliott suffered a “bruised and gashed arm” in the accident.
Herndon apparently wasn’t injured. He was practicing with the Jets during their minicamp Tuesday.
Jets TE Chris Herndon spoke to the media but could not say much with the case pending. He did say "This is not who I am." #nyj
— Brian Costello (@BrianCoz) June 5, 2018
“The case remains under investigation,” State Police spokesman Jeff Flynn told the Herald. “Mr. Herndon was arrested and charged with DWI. The DWI charge is considered a violation of New Jersey motor vehicle statutes.”
Elliott’s SUV was towing a restored railroad motorcar to an excursion in Pennsylvania, the Herald reported.
The report said the Land Cruiser was totaled and the motorcar and attached trailer were destroyed.
“Herndon’s car hit the trailer, and his car spun around and then hit Al’s car,” an unidentified friend of Elliott’s told the Herald. “The motorcar and trailer look like they were put in a blender.”
Sgt. Lawrence Peele of the New Jersey State Police told NJ.com that Herndon failed a Breathalyzer test, but he declined to say what blood alcohol content was registered on the test.
Herndon was drafted in the fourth round out of the University of Miami. As a senior last year, he caught 40 passes for 47 yards and four touchdowns and earned second-team All-ACC honors.
Last month, Herndon signed a four-year contract with the Jets reportedly worth just over $3 million, including a $711,000 signing bonus.
He is expected to battle Jordan Leggett, a second-year man out of Clemson, for the Jets’ starting tight end job.
Bridgewater pass to Chris Herndon. #Jets pic.twitter.com/uQmdEDvBwp
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) June 5, 2018
The arrest might be a setback for Herndon but it won’t cost him a spot on New York’s roster, according to NJ.com‘s Darryl Slater.
Slater wrote Tuesday that it would be a “stunner” if he were released, “considering how they have approached the five other player arrests in the past 13 months (wide receiver Robby Anderson, outside linebacker Dylan Donahue, and cornerback Rashard Robinson). All of those guys remain on the roster. Donahue was popped for two DWIs over that span, too. He recently completed an alcohol rehab program. Anderson was also arrested twice.”
A Jets spokesman told the New York Post, “We are aware of the situation and have no further comment at this time.”
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