Roger Goodell finally handed down a suspension to Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay following his arrest back in March. Irsay was pulled over and charged with a DWI along with four felony counts for possession of a controlled substance.
Irsay received a six-game suspension and was fined $500,000 by the NFL for his latest run-in with the law. On March 16, Irsay was booked into the Hamilton County jail near his home in Carmel, Indiana, after he was allegedly under the influence of prescription painkillers. Irsay admitted on Tuesday in the courtroom that he indeed was taking oxycodone and hydrocodone prior to his arrest in March.
But that wasn't all. His toxicology report revealed that he had been under the influence of alprazolam as well. Police also found a briefcase in his car that contained numerous bottles of prescription pills and over $29,000 in cash. Irsay was driving 10 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone before being pulled over for driving "erratically." The arresting officer asked Irsay a number of questions (that he answered with disoriented and slurred speech) and conducted a number of tests (which he failed miserably).
His suspension dictates that he will be unable to attend any games or practices along with NFL owners' meetings. He cannot be present at the Colts' facility, conduct media interviews, use social media for team/league matters, and cannot represent the team at any league-affiliated events during the first six weeks of the 2014 NFL season. The courts mandated a year of probation for Irsay during which he is prohibited from drinking or possessing alcohol and also must undergo random drug tests and complete a rehabilitation program. His suspension from the NFL begins on Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET.
"I acknowledge the mistake I made last March and stand responsible for the consequences of that mistake, for which I sincerely apologize to our community and to Colts fans everywhere," Irsay said in a statement, via this Indianapolis Star article. "Even more importantly, though, I am committed to do everything in my power to turn this whole experience into a positive event for myself, my family, and the community."
Irsay plans to begin yet another recovery from his substance abuse problem. The Colts owner checked into rehab back in 2002 because of a prescription drug addiction and declared himself sober later that year. According to the Indianapolis Star, Irsay also apparently purchased a $139,500 townhouse for a drug-addicted woman named Kimberly Wundrum of Indianapolis. She died of a suspected drug overdose on March 1. The exact details of his relationship with this woman are unknown, but it's certainly a sign regarding when Irsay may have fell back into his drug addiction. Nonetheless, the NFL wishes him a speedy recovery from his latest battle with substance abuse.
You can read more about Jim Irsay's suspension in this ESPN article.
