Former Vikings Defensive End Everson Griffen Arrested for DUI
Everson Griffen, the former Vikings defensive end, was arrested on Tuesday night in Minneapolis for suspicion of driving while intoxicated for the second time in less than a year, arrest records confirm.
The former NFLer was seen driving a “high rate” of speed in a Bentley Bentayga at 11:35 p.m., Minnesota State Patrol told TMZ.
He showed signs of impairment and was eventually arrested, per multiple reports.
Police said they could smell alcohol inside the vehicle, which had two occupants inside at the time, and it appeared that Griffen had “slightly watery eyes,” according to the criminal complaint viewed by TMZ.
Griffen said he had last had a drink around 1 p.m., and after consenting to a field sobriety test, he showed several signs of impairment.
Per TMZ, Griffen’s blew a 0.10 on a breathalyzer test, which is above the legal limit.
He was then booked into Hennepin County Jail early Wednesday morning.
Griffen has had several driving-related incidents in the past year, which first started with the July 2023 arrest on suspicion of DUI.
The former pass rusher eventually pleaded guilty to a careless driving charge and was placed on one-year probation.
But he found himself in more trouble just a few months later in October, when he crashed his car into a fence and gazebo and was cited for failure to drive with due care, which is a petty misdemeanor, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
In December, he was stopped and eventually convicted for a petty misdemeanor after he was driving 55 mph in a 30-mph zone.
Griffen was a member of the Vikings from 2010-19 and then suited up for them again in 2021, his last NFL season.
He also spent time with the Lions and Cowboys in 2020.