Dennard Arrested, Patriots Surreal Off-Season Continues
New England Patriots cornerback, Alfonzo Dennard, was arrested early Thursday morning for suspicion of Driving Under the Influence, per Omaha World-Herald.
According to the police reports, Dennard was pulled over and cited at 2 a.m. in Lincoln, Neb. While it is unclear how this arrest will affect his status with the team, his current probation stemming from an incident in April 2012 makes the infraction much worse.
In March, Dennard was placed on a two year probation after being convicted of felony assault on a police officer. The incident happened just five days before being drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round. The 24-year-old will serve a 30-day jail sentence starting Mach 1, 2014.
The Patriots released this Statement Thursday morning:
"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."
This infraction continues a surreal off-season for the team. From Rob Gronkowski's surgeries, to Aaron Hernandez's pending trial and now another arrest, the Patriots find themselves in a nightmarish situation.
At this point, nothing will surprise me. Dennard has a very real chance of being released. With the image of the team already hurt by other incidents, I would not be shocked if the team cut ties in order for them to restore their "Patriot Way" brand.
The Patriots now have a crucial decision to make, with just two weeks until the start of training camp. It is not easy to find solid cornerbacks, especially for this team, and is even more difficult in mid-July. I would expect a decision from the Pats front office very soon.
Stay tuned.
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