Former basketball star Felton Spencer was arrested in the early morning hours of Jan. 6 in Kentucky’s Oldham County for allegedly driving under the influence. The 51-year-old man, previously a University of Louisville athletic standout and then an NBA player, was found sleeping in the driver’s seat of his vehicle at 2:28 a.m. He had stopped in a gas station in the town of Prospect, according to Oldham County police, before falling asleep in his 2006 Ford Expedition.
When police found the Spencer, he was holding a plastic cup with ice. Police say that Spencer told him that he had driven from his house before falling asleep at the gas station. They also reported that he openly said that the cup contained Crown Royal whiskey and that he earlier drank three more glasses of the alcoholic beverage. When he was found, police said that he showed signs of intoxication, including glassy eyes, unsteadiness while standing and a smell of alcohol on his breath. Police said that the man was unable to conduct a field sobriety test successfully.
The man then refused to take a breathalyzer test without his lawyer present. Currently employed as a coach at Bellarmine University, the 7-foot-1 Spencer was the No. 6 pick in the 1990 NBA draft. He played for six professional teams before retiring in 2002. He is facing charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, driving with a suspended or revoked license and possessing an open container in a motor vehicle.
Drunk driving charges can have long-term effects on a person’s life. A conviction can lead to license revocation, costly fines and even jail time. People facing DUI accusations in Kentucky can work with a criminal defense attorney to challenge police and prosecution evidence and work to avoid a conviction.