Hines Ward DUI: Steelers Star Arrested On Drunk Driving Charge

DECATUR, Ga. — Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward was arrested early Saturday outside Atlanta on a drunken driving charge, sheriff's officials said.

The former Super Bowl MVP and reigning "Dancing With the Stars" champ was booked into the DeKalb County jail at 3:41 a.m. and charged with driving under the influence. A jail official said he was released on $1,300 bond, though the sheriff's office website said his bond was set at $1,000. The discrepancy couldn't be immediately resolved Saturday.

The sheriff's office said it had turned over paperwork to the courts and couldn't release any further information about the player's arrest. DeKalb County police did not return repeated emails and phone calls seeking details of the arrest.

Atlanta lawyer Andrew Ree issued a statement saying the 35-year-old Ward cooperated fully with police and truthfully answered their questions.

"From our preliminary investigation we can tell you that we are confident that the facts will show that Hines was NOT impaired by alcohol while driving," Ree wrote. "However, Hines is deeply saddened by this incident and apologizes to his fans and the Steelers organization for this distraction."

A Steelers spokesman did not immediately respond to a message.

Since being drafted in the third round out of Georgia in 1998, Ward has been a four-time Pro Bowl selection, playing on teams that won two Super Bowls.

Dancing with professional partner Kym Johnson, Ward in May became the second professional football player to win the "Dancing" crown after Emmitt Smith won in 2006. He bested actresses Kirstie Alley and Chelsea Kane to become the season 12 champion of the TV celebrity dance competition.

Comments

[Meerkatx]

02:29 AM on 07/12/2011

Dear Steelers brass, please clean up your team. Your team used to have players that not only represented the team with dignity and class, but the city and league as well. I feel like the Steelers once a place where doing the right thing was the most important thing has become a place where winning at any costs is now the most important thing.

[Joan Bogorae]

10:46 PM on 07/11/2011

Thank goodness no one was hurt.

[tipper18]

03:27 PM on 07/11/2011

Too bad they couldn't have nailed his nasty team mate, Ben RotLESSberger.

[elsquibbs]

04:15 PM on 07/11/2011

Ruthlessrape.r

[RTFanatic]

08:25 AM on 07/11/2011

Can't believe the racist comments here. But anyway, I'm a die-hard Steelers fan, and I have this to say: Hines, you're a joke. First, Dancing With the Stars, and now this. Honestly, I don't know which is worse. But maybe it's time to heed the sage advice of the great Chuck Noll, and "get on with your life's work."

[elsquibbs]

12:11 AM on 07/11/2011

Wines Hard.

[Politidelic]

05:29 PM on 07/11/2011

fanned.

[redchpzip]

10:05 PM on 07/10/2011

It would strange for the police to charge someone with a DUI that was a completely false charge. I am guessing this because wouldn't Ward ask for a breathalyzer if he had been driving with no alcohol in his system? Again, I'm not sure, just making a guess. For full disclosure I can't stand Ward because he is one of the dirtiest players in the NFL and he always has that grin after he illegally sucker punches another player. But I think my question is legitimate.

[Zeroes]

06:24 PM on 07/10/2011

I thought the Steelers would get away with Dumb & Dumber...benny and the Twitter...now they have to make room for another one.

[tipper18]

03:30 PM on 07/11/2011

Rothliesberger should still be in jail. He'll repeat his mistakes, though, sooner than later. Maybe he can share a celebrity prison cell with DSK.

[carpas]

05:40 PM on 07/10/2011

I dont get it if convicted he will get his job back and still be a hero to some people. When the average person is convicted they often lose a job and have a hard time getting another. This double standard for people in the spotlight makes me sick. We are all in this thing together but our society doesnt see it that way. I have no answers just expressing myself.

[Meerkatx]

02:31 AM on 07/12/2011

The sport and news pundits talk about how the U.S. is a place where people get a second chance to make things better. They neglect to mention you have to have some sort of sport talent, money or be extremely smart; not just your average or below average Joe.

[Duzula]

03:51 PM on 07/10/2011

People, all athletes think they can get away with anything, so they do it, when they're caught, due to circumstance, sometimes you can sweep things under the rug, control the media outlets and shape a story into whatever you want. Other times there's no running away if there's many witnesses and people involved. Like Michael Vick. 18 months for dog fighting. Big Ben raped a chick and got a slap on the wrist, after paying the girl off I'm sure. And yes, Ben Roethisberger went to Miami University, and if you've been there and hung around some of the rich snobs in that place, you'd probably believe the allegations.

Hines Ward was probably drunk, not obliterated, but surely intoxicated enough to the point where it's pretty clear to you what that person has been doing.

It's still all about $$$$$. Media Controls Your Thoughts, and Beliefs.

[blackreign]

05:30 PM on 07/10/2011

Superstar athletes aren't the only poeple that get's DUIs. Hines Ward is a good guy, gives a lot to charity, and is a NFL legend. I hate drunk driving, but I'm sure he will gracefull pay his dues for his deeds, as did Mike Vick.

Stars don't have the luxury of keeping their big mistakes secret, as you and I do.

[Lisa Seltmann Pursel]

01:40 AM on 07/12/2011

I don't electrocute, shoot, or drown dogs, and I don't drive drunk...and there is no secret about that. Nobody has the luxury of maiming or killing anyone or anything...speak for yourself.

[Peppers Dad]

04:46 AM on 07/11/2011

Duz: BR attended Miami of Ohio, not the University of Miami (FL).

[Duzula]

10:17 AM on 07/11/2011

Miami University...In Oxford, Ohio. I went there. I know. I didn't say anything about Miami. Poor guy.

[kandem]

03:46 PM on 07/10/2011

Driving Under the Influence of being not-white. Welcome to Georgia.

[Chauncee McFarland]

01:10 PM on 07/13/2011

I have lived in four states and I have never seen such a law enforcement racket like Georgia....In some counties they have a local, county, sheriff, and marshal department( talk about protect and serve)......and god forbid you have to go threw the money money money everything's a felony guilty before proven innocent bs court system........

[terry63]

03:35 PM on 07/10/2011

I miss the days of Football when the players were held to a higher standard than the baseball and basketball crowd. I will never forget when they went on strike and the owners just hired replacemnets and played on anyway. Now football is no better than the Baseball crowd , a bunch of thankless crying spoiled children. I loved baseball as a child, But as a young man I worked in a nursing home as an aid, I will never forget the old people huddleing in front of the television to watch the series, talking to each other about the days of their youth and the Big Baseball stars that they cheered for. It was the early 90's And the Players went on strike. Those poor old people just rolled those wheel chairs back down the Hall way with there heads hung low . I swore that I would never watch another game. I do not feel sorry for you if youre making 5 million per year , and cant keep youre nose clean. Bring on the replacement.

[Flight]

03:14 PM on 07/10/2011

I tell ya'...there are some really idiotic celebrity-athletes. Didn't Hines learn anything from Ben's episode when he was Georgia? Then to get a DUI? Of course you and I would be surrendering license and paying out the wazoo in jacked up insurance premiums, but the justice certain people can buy means Hines may have to pay a fine and take a class.

[driverstest]

02:42 PM on 07/10/2011

A bump in the road for Hines. Still love ya, but next time call a cab!

[theborg]

01:55 PM on 07/10/2011

Driving while Black and Korean. Ya'll come back now, ya' hear!

[CPAwADD]

01:38 PM on 07/10/2011

Cabs don't seem expensive compared to the fine for the DWI and the potential loss of income for being suspended.