Former NBA star Dennis Rodman was charged on Thursday with misdemeanor drunken driving stemming from a Jan. 13 traffic stop in Newport Beach.
Prosecutors allege his blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit when he was pulled over at 11:11 p.m. near 4500 West Coast Highway.
His lawyer, Paul Meyer, said that after his arrest Rodman, 56, immediately went into a residential treatment program and committed to long-term outpatient treatment.
“He recognizes the problem and is working hard,” Meyer said in a statement. “No one questions his big heart and care for others. In recent months, he completed his community-service obligation (for a previous case) by donating many hours in long-term care facilities and making a real difference in people’s lives. I think the responsible way that Dennis is facing his current situation will be an inspiration to many others.”
This isn’t his first traffic-related incident in the county.
In February 2017, Rodman was sentenced to three years of probation for misdemeanor charges stemming from going the wrong way onto the I-5 freeway in Santa Ana and, authorities said, prompting a crash.
Rodman, known for his bright hair and outlandish behavior on and off the court, played for 14 years in the NBA for several teams, including the Detroit Pistons, the Chicago Bulls and the Lakers. He retired in 2000.
City News Service contributed to this report.