Buffalo Bills defensive lineman Ed Oliver was arrested during a traffic stop in the Houston area and charged with drunken driving and illegally carrying a handgun, authorities said.
Montgomery County sheriff’s deputies pulled Oliver over Saturday after receiving reports around 9 pm of someone driving recklessly in a construction area north of the city while towing an ATV on a trailer, Lt. Jim Slack of the Montgomery County constables office said in a statement.
‘They stated the driver of the truck was failing to maintain a lane and driving dangerously in the 45 mph construction zone,’ read a description from the Montgomery County (Texas) police reporter. ‘A Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputy was able to locate the vehicle and stop it on SH 242 near FM 1485. He then requested a DWI Certified Officer to the scene.’
Oliver failed a sobriety test and the deputies found a small caliber pistol in his truck, Slack said. Texas law prohibits having a handgun while committing a crime, and Slack said Oliver faces a misdemeanor charge for having the weapon.
He was also found with an open beer, and police suspected he was intoxicated with something other than alcohol.
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‘The driver of the vehicle did have an open beer between his legs and appeared nervous,’ read the police reporter description. ‘A Montgomery County Precinct 4 DWI Certified Deputy responded to the scene and performed a field sobriety test. He determined that the driver was impaired but by possibly something besides alcohol.’
Video published by the Montgomery County Police Reporter appears to show officers examining Oliver’s eyes and having him walk in a line on the roadside before putting him in handcuffs.
Oliver, who is listed at 6-foot-1, 287 pounds, is from Houston and played collegiately at the University of Houston.
He was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2019 draft before signing a four-year, $19.5 million deal.
Montgomery County records did not list Oliver as being in the jail Sunday morning; the Houston Chronicle reported that he was released after posting bond.
The team said in a statement that ‘we are aware of the situation and we are gathering more information.’
Oliver’s agent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
