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Anthony Arrest: Impairment Described As 'Extreme'

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Apr 15, 2008 9:34 pm US/Mountain

Anthony Arrest: Impairment Described As 'Extreme'

Anthony Arrested Monday For Alleged DUI In Denver

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Contact reporter Brian Maass at bmaass@cbs.com
DENVER (AP) ― Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony's level of impairment after he was stopped by police Monday morning was described as 'extreme' by investigating officers. CBS4 investigator Brian Maass obtained internal police reports that show Anthony insisted he only had "2 glasses of red wine" prior to the DUI stop.

Denver police pulled Anthony over as he was driving south on Interstate 25 at 4 a.m. Monday. He said he was driving home, according to a Denver police sobriety report.

According to the report, when Anthony was pulled over he, "had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, blood shot watery eyes, speech was mumbling slurred."

At times police described the 23-year-old NBA star as "polite," but at other times they said he was "sarcastic" and "uncooperative." Those involved in the case said Anthony badly failed every roadside sobriety test that was administered. When he was asked to take nine steps, heel to toe, then turn around and take another nine steps, he forgot to perform the second half of the maneuver, according to police. CBS4 has also learned that when he was asked to stand on one leg, he swayed, put his foot down and "gave up," telling an officer, "I don't have good balance."

Later, when police were interviewing Anthony, they asked him if he knew where he was. "No clue," he told police.

After his arrest, Denver Police Sergeant Rich Coisman, a 13-year veteran assigned to the traffic operations bureau, drove Anthony to the downtown Denver Ritz Carlton hotel, where Anthony's wife was staying. That drive has critics charging the department with providing preferential treatment to the Nuggets forward. "I've never had a client I can recall receive that kind of treatment," said attorney Chris Cessna, who has represented hundreds of DUI suspects in Denver. Typically, DUI suspects are taken to a detox facility, or picked up by a sober, responsible third party. Denver Police Spokesman Sonny Jackson acknowledged, "This is not a standard practice, but it is done on occasion, and it is not a violation of department policy."

"It wasn't possible for his (fiancé) to pick him up at Denver Police Headquarters," Jackson said in a news release.

While DPD says Coisman only drove Anthony a short distance from police headquarters to the downtown Ritz Carlton, the sobriety report obtained by CBS4 says, "Sgt. Coisman transported to home."

CBS4 was unable to speak to Coisman about where exactly he left Anthony.

(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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