Getty Las Vegas Raiders RB Josh Jacobs.
The offseason hasn’t gotten off to a great start for Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs. Kevin Bolinger of Fox Las Vegas reported earlier in the week that Jacobs was arrested “on a DUI charge” after a single-car accident at the McCarran airport in Las Vegas early on the morning of January 4. The lawyers for the running back denied the allegations, but based on an image circulating online, Jacobs did recently suffer a head injury.
The mug shot for Jacobs shows a major gash on his forehead.
Las Vegas Metropolitan PoliceJosh Jacobs pictured in his mugshot.
While Jacobs was originally arrested on suspicion of DUI, his lawyers said on January 11 that the Clark County District Attorney eventually decided to charge him with a traffic violation. “After an extensive review of evidence, the Clark County District Attorney’s office filed a complaint this morning only charging Jacobs with failure to exercise due care,” his lawyers, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said in a statement. “Josh appreciates the district attorney’s thorough and complete review of the accident and we would like to thank the EMS and law enforcement at the scene.”
The wound clearly required stitches and is going to take some time to heal. Jacobs is lucky the Raiders aren’t set to play a playoff game this week. He likely would not be able to play.
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Police Say Jacobs Smelled of Alcohol & His Accident Caused Another Collision & Closed the Airport Tunnel
Before Jacobs faces any kind of punishment from the Raiders, the legal process needs to play out. The running back’s legal team denies that he was under the influence of alcohol. A police report obtained by Heavy offers details of the incident.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Impaired Driving Report indicates Jacobs is suspected of misdemeanor driving under the influence after a collision in a purple two-door Acura coupe at 4:42 a.m. on January 4 in the airport tunnel at McCarran International Airport. The tunnel was closed while responders attended to Jacobs and “a secondary collision related to the first one.”
“Initial details indicated a purple vehicle was southbound through the tunnel at a high rate of speed and lost control, striking the wall,” according to the report. The responding officer said “he observed a moderate odor of an unknown alcoholic beverage coming from Jacobs as he spoke,” the report says. Jacobs told the officer he believed he had fallen asleep while driving.
According to the police report, Jacobs passed a horizontal gaze nystagmus sobriety test at St. Rose Siena hospital, where he had been transported for treatment.
Bolinger tweeted that Jacobs was released from custody and is set to appear in court on March 8.
If Guilty, What Kind of Punishment Could Jacobs Face?
Based on what we’ve seen from previous DUI cases involving NFL players, Jacobs will almost certainly be suspended by the league if he’s found guilty in court. That suspension will likely be in the range of two to four games. Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon provides a recent example. He was charged with a DUI during the 2020 season, though he doesn’t have to serve his suspension until 2021. It’s believed that he’ll have to miss three games.
If Jacobs is found guilty, a three-game suspension will likely be what he’s handed. That would be incredibly disappointing for the Raiders. Jacobs has become one of their most important offensive players and they clearly don’t play as well when he isn’t on the field. Having him miss three games at any point during the season would be a big blow. Also, the Raiders have made a point to draft high-character players due to the temptations that Las Vegas brings. Even if he is found guilty, Jacobs has shown to have a strong character. This could be a very important learning experience for the young star.
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