Details emerged Wednesday in the arrest of Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Bashaud Breeland outside of a convenience store in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Police said “three males smoking marijuana” were seen outside a Gate gas station shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday when a York County Sheriff’s Office deputy arrived. In the moments that followed, according to a police incident report provided by the Sheriff’s Office, Breeland “pushed” a deputy as he was resisting arrest. Breeland resisted the officer’s attempts to detain him several times and, after being handcuffed, told police he was a “marijuana enthusiast,” according to the police report.
The officer drew his taser and gun during the incident but did not fire either one, according to the report. Onlookers “pleaded with Bashaud Breeland to stop resisting” arrest, the incident report said.
The York County Sheriff’s Office charged Breeland with resisting arrest; transporting alcohol in a motor vehicle with the seal broken; having an open container of beer or wine in a motor vehicle; possession of 28 grams or less of marijuana or 10 grams of hash; and driving without a license.
The Strom Law Firm in Columbia is representing Breeland and said Wednesday as part of a statement: “Mr. Breeland was leaving a gas station store after making a lawful purchase. Moments after returning to his vehicle, a 2020 Range Rover with valid temporary paper tags, law enforcement officers approached Mr. Breeland and drew their weapons. We look forward to investigating why this level of force was necessary.
“Mr. Breeland is facing only misdemeanor charges in connection with this incident. None of the crimes charged allege that Mr. Breeland was consuming alcohol at the time of the arrest.”
Breeland was selected by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft and played four seasons there and one season with the Green Bay Packers before signing with Kansas City in 2019. He started 18 of 19 games last season, including in Super Bowl 54. He had a pair of interceptions in the regular season and picked off Jimmy Garoppolo in the Super Bowl as Kansas City earned a 31-20 victory over the 49ers.
Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported Wednesday afternoon that Breeland is already facing a four-game suspension for a separate violation of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. Breeland is appealing the suspension, according to Pelissero.
In the alleged incident Tuesday, the deputy saw one of the suspects throw a small blunt into the back of Breeland’s car, according to the report. The deputy “smelled a strong odor of marijuana emitting from each suspect,” the report states.
After being told that he was being detained, Breeland tried to flee the scene, according to the report. Breeland pulled away from the deputy, pushed the deputy and the deputy pulled his taser out, according to the report.
Breeland pushed the deputy away, got his driver’s door open and hopped into his vehicle, police said. Breeland allegedly was not following orders and the deputy could not see his hands. The deputy then drew his firearm and Breeland put his hands into the air, the report said.
Breeland then sat down and the deputy attempted to place him in handcuffs, but he resisted for approximately three minutes as people watching nearby pleaded with Breeland to stop, according to the report. The deputy was eventually able to get Breeland in handcuffs, according to the report.
The report alleges that the deputy searched Breeland’s vehicle and found a large marijuana blunt weighing approximately 1.3 grams. There was also approximately 3.2 grams of marijuana in Breeland’s door, according to the report. There were also two open bottles of Corona beer and an opened bottle of tequila in the car, police said.
Breeland gave deputies permission to look through his phone, according to the report, and they found “several communications about drug transactions” and that “Breeland had several messages to dealers placing orders of large quantities of marijuana in bags like what was found in his driver’s door.”
Breeland told deputies that the deals were not around York County, he liked to smoke marijuana and is a marijuana enthusiast, according to the report. Breeland was then transported to detention without further incident, the report said.
Breeland was released from jail at 11:01 p.m. Tuesday night on a bond of $2,362.50, according to Trent Faris, a spokesman for the York County Sheriff’s Office.
The Strom Law Firm statement added: “We look forward to reviewing all available evidence in this matter, including the arresting officer’s body worn camera footage, dash camera footage, and surveillance footage from the gas station where the incident is alleged to have occured. Mr. Breeland is facing only misdemeanor charges in connection with this incident. … Bashaud Breeland is innocent unless proven guilty. We look forward to the truth coming forward.”
Before beginning his NFL career, Breeland, an Allendale-Fairfax High product, started 24 games for Clemson and was named second-team All-ACC as a redshirt junior in 2013.
He had 74 tackles, five tackles for loss and four interceptions in 2013 before turning pro.
Breeland, who played at Clemson from 2010-13, posted his version of what happened on Twitter shortly after midnight Wednesday. He deleted the post later Wednesday morning.
“Lot of people wanna speculate On my situation and don’t know the facts,” Breeland said via social media. “I really was at a gas pump got approach by two guys police pulled up they throw something my car as police pulled up which the cop saw and I was the one detained wit charges that really shouldn’t be charged … I’m not fighting to clear a name I don’t care wat people think I know the truth innocent until proven guilty.”
The Herald’ s Andrew Dys contributed to this report.
Matt Connolly is the Clemson beat writer and covers recruiting and college sports for The State newspaper and The State.com