A current team member of the Cleveland Indians was recently arrested on charges of drunk driving.
Austin Kearns of the Cleveland Indians, age 30, was taken into custody by a Lexington patrol unit after the officer observed the man “flashing his headlights and weaving on U.S. 68” on the evening of Feb. 12 in the county of Jessamine. A New York Criminal Lawyer stated that the defendant was driving a 2007 Cadillac Escalade at the time, and was requested to submit to roadside sobriety tests following his sporadic stop-and-go driving while on the road. Though the Lexington officer was out of his jurisdiction, he requested and received permission from Jessamine county authorities to pursue Mr. Kearns.
Upon apprehension, sources say that Mr. Kearns refused roadside sobriety tests, was “very unsteady on his feet” according to an officer. Additionally, the official police report of the Jessamine County Police Department states that Mr. Kearns had admitted to a sheriff’s deputy that during the course of the night just prior to the apprehension, he had consumed “a couple bourbon and cokes” , and was thus taken into custody. However, he was later released upon posting $100, which was 10% of his $1,000 bond. Mr. Kearns has an upcoming court appointment on March 10, which his attorney will attend on his behalf. In Manhattan and Queens, DWI is a serious crime and treated as such by Law Enforcement.
Austin Kearns was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in 1998, right out of his Lafayette high school. He also had short stints with the Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees, before finally signing with the Cleveland Indians in 2009. A NY Criminal Lawyer notes that Austin Kearns is currently a resident of Nicholasville, KY. An official report further states the MLB player, who has been in the majors for nearly 13 years, maintains a second dwelling in Sarasota, Fla. Though representatives of the Cleveland Indians declined to comment with much depth, a statement was released that said, “The Indians’ organization takes these issues very seriously and is disappointed by the circumstances…We will handle the matter internally and will not have any further comment until we have complete information about the incident and the legal process has run its course.”
It rings true that “no one is above the law”. A successful baseball player for a well-known organization has been charged with drunk driving. Since this is such a common and serious offense, the repercussions are often of great magnitude.
Should you or a loved one find yourself in a similar situation of legal consequences, contact a New York Criminal Attorney today for assistance in your case! The Office of Stephen Bilkis and Associates can offer you support and guidance as well as a free consultation when you contact us at 1-800-NY-NY-LAW. We have offices in New York City, including Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and The Bronx and in Nassau County, Suffolk County and Westchester County.