The Detroit Free Press reports that Pistons forward Ben Wallace was arrested Saturday for drunk driving and possession of a concealed weapon, according to a police press release.
Detroit Piston Ben Wallace is facing a 5-year felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon after police found an unloaded pistol in a backpack in his car as they arrested him on suspicion of drunken driving Saturday in Bloomfield Township.via Detroit Piston Ben Wallace faces drunken driving, weapons charges | Detroit Free Press | freep.com.
When officers searched his car, they discovered an unloaded pistol in a backpack in the “passenger compartment” of the vehicle, according to a news release issued by the police department today.
Wallace, 37, is expected to appear Oct. 3 for a pre-examination conference in 48th District Court in Bloomfield Township, according to police. He has been arraigned on a 93-day misdemeanor charge of drunken driving and a 5-year felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon, police said, without specifying what day he appeared in court.
It's surprising this took five days to come out. It's also surprising because in July, Wallace gave an interview to the Detroit News about his goal of becoming a lawyer. Apparently that was because he wanted to be able to represent himself.
Drunk driving is a serious enough charge legally on its own, but possession of a concealed weapon while drunk driving is a compound offense of recklessness. The Detroit News reports that the weapon was unarmed and concealed in a backpack. Wallace is owed over $2.2 million by the Pistons next year in the last year of his contract. He was expected to retire at the end of the season. The report states that Wallace was over the legal limit of .08% BAC, but did not specify his exact reading.
