Charlotte, North Carolina — Charlotte Hornets guard james booknight He was found drunk, unconscious and holding a gun in the car he was driving before being arrested Sunday morning for DUI, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Police.
Police released new details about Buknait’s arrest on Wednesday.
Police said they responded to reports of a person passing out in a car in a parking lot in Charlotte on Sunday morning, blocking traffic.
According to police reports, officers saw 22-year-old Bouknight unconscious while the vehicle was moving and driving. He had a pistol in his hand. The officers set up a perimeter and used the broadcasting system, air horns, and lights to try and keep Buknight awake for about an hour.
Police said Buknight woke up, refused to follow orders and appeared confused for several minutes. They said he ate food in his car and then crashed into two police cars.
Bouknight eventually got out of the car and was detained.
A breath test later confirmed that Bukunite had a blood alcohol content of 0.14, above the North Carolina legal limit of 0.08.
A request for comment from Buknight’s agent, Nick Blatchford, on Wednesday was not immediately successful.
According to police reports, Buknight said at the scene that he had about four tequila shots before driving home.
Officer Craig Warren said in a report that Bouknight had glass-like eyes and a strong alcohol smell from his breath. At the time, he was arrested for DWI because he was drunk on the road while driving.
The Hornets reiterated Wednesday that they were investigating the matter and had no comment.
Bouknight was given a bond of $2,500.
He is scheduled to appear in court on November 10 to answer DWI’s charges.
According to court papers obtained from the Mecklenburg County Superior Court Clerk, Buknight has been indicted in three other separate cases.
He is due to appear in court on Nov. 29 on charges of speeding, reckless driving and indifferent neglect. He is due to appear in court on December 6 for speeding and reckless driving at risk. And he has a court date on December 13th for reckless driving and unreasonable neglect.
Buknight, a first-round draft pick by the Hornets in 2021, told reporters after practice Tuesday, “I want to apologize for interrupting what my teammates and I were doing before the season started. .
He called the arrest “disappointing” and said, “I’m trying to learn from it so I can stay strong, move forward and continue to grow.
He also said Steve Clifford has been supportive since he was hired as the Hornets’ coach.
“Cliff has been there for me every step of the way since he got here,” said Buknight. “Having a coach who truly believes in you and is committed to helping you and making you better means everything to me.”
Charlotte started the regular season Wednesday night in San Antonio, with Buknight in the game.
Bouknight also had an alcohol-related incident in 2019 when he was a freshman at the University of Connecticut.
Police said Buknayt fled police after he smelled alcohol after smashing another student’s car into a road sign near the campus.
Bouknight was charged with evading liability, interfering with police, driving without a license, and driving too fast for conditions, and was on probation with no criminal record.
