Ex-NFL linebacker Terrell Suggs arrested on assault charge in Arizona after incident at Starbucks drive-thru
Suggs is due in court on April 29 for preliminary hearing
Former NFL linebacker Terrell Suggs was arrested Tuesday in Scottsdale, Arizona on two charges relating to a suspected road rage incident in March at a Starbucks drive-thru line.
According to Scottsdale Police, Suggs faces charges of threatening and intimidating, and disorderly conduct with a weapon. He was released Wednesday morning.
Suggs allegedly threatened to kill another driver after Suggs backed into the car while moving in reverse in the drive-thru line. After Suggs' black Range Rover made contact with the other car, the two men got out and began arguing about whether there was contact made at all. The two then got back into their cars and completed their orders.
Court documents say that as Suggs drove away he stuck his middle finger up at the other driver, who then began swearing at Suggs. The former Baltimore Raven, Arizona Cardinal and Kansas City Chief stuck a handgun out of the driver's side window and drove off after telling the other man "I'll kill your bitch ass."
Police records indicate that Suggs never pointed the gun directly at the other driver, but it was interpreted as a threat.
The entire incident was digitally captured as the other driver had an audio/video recording device attached to the front of his car. A Scottsdale police office identified Suggs in the footage after having given Suggs a speeding ticket in December and interacting with him during a court hearing for the ticket.
A representative of Suggs released a statement, via ESPN, on Wednesday stating that Suggs feared for his safety.
"I was in a quiet area of Scottsdale in the middle of the day in a Starbucks drive thru near my home when an incident happened with a vehicle behind me. I was getting coffee, I was not looking for any trouble. When the man in the other vehicle escalated the situation, I feared for my safety not knowing what his intentions were. Throughout the incident, I was the one who felt in danger, while fearing I would be followed home and for the safety of my family nearby at my residence."
Any weapons Suggs owns will have to be given up as part of his supervised release and he is due in court on April 29 for a preliminary hearing.
Suggs played 17 years in the NFL, winning two Super Bowls, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2011. A seven-time Pro Bowl selection, he was a first-round draft pick in 2003 out of Arizona State.
