Vikings defensive back Jayron Kearse faces multiple misdemeanor charges, including drunken driving and possessing a gun while under the influence, following his arrest over the weekend after being stopped on Interstate 94 in Minneapolis, the Star Tribune reported Wednesday.
Kearse, 25, was charged Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court stemming from the incident in which police allege he was pulled over while driving drunk and had in the car with him a Glock semiautomatic handgun loaded with more than two dozen rounds. Teammate and fellow Vikings DB Mike Hughes was one of two passengers in the vehicle with Kearse.
According to a probable cause statement from the Minnesota State Patrol (via the St. Paul Pioneer Press), Hughes was “throwing up outside the vehicle due to his level of intoxication” during the traffic stop.
Per the Star Tribune: Kearse was arrested at the scene early Sunday and released from jail that afternoon after posting bond. On Monday, he told reporters that his arrest is “not a reflection of who I am as a person or what this organization stands for. … I’m sorry for putting anybody in harm’s way.”
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer on Wednesday said he was extremely angry about the incident.
“I’m very, very ticked off,” Zimmer told reporters in his first comments about the incident. “Since I’ve been here the last six years, I’ve worked extremely hard to clean up the reputation of this organization, this team off the field. We’ve put in a lot of resources for them to not have these kind of issues, and for them to do that is really idiotic.”
Kearse is in his fourth NFL season after being chosen by the Viking in the seventh round of the 2016 draft out of Clemson.
He has started two of the Vikings' eight games this season and has played in all but one regular-season game since joining the team.
A first-round pick out of Central Florida in 2018, Hughes, 22, is a cornerback who has played in five of eight games (one start) this season.
The Vikings were off Sunday, having played Thursday.
Minnesota's next game is Sunday at Kansas City against the Chiefs. The team has yet to say whether Kearse will be active for the game.
