UFC fighter Jon Jones was arrested in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Thursday morning around 1 a.m. The police officers originally responded to reports of gunshots in the area, but arrested Jones after he admitted to drinking and driving, and failed multiple field sobriety tests. The UFC fighter explained his decision to get behind the wheel by saying that he was going “stir crazy” due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
“I literally just got stir-crazy,” Jones said, per body cam footage obtained by TMZ. “I just wanted to have a drive. This is my first drive in two weeks. And, I saw these homeless guys. I was being nice to them, having a conversation with them, treating them like humans.” Jones was given multiple field sobriety tests including balancing, counting, and reciting the alphabet.
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According to a report by ESPN, a police officer responded to the sound of a single gunshot around 12:58 a.m. on Thursday morning. The officer saw a black jeep with a man inside the vehicle in the driver’s seat and another person by the passenger-side door. The driver was identified as Jones, who resides and trains in Albuquerque.
The officer wrote in his report that Jones said he did not know where the gunshot sound had come from. Additionally, the officer saw an open bottle of alcohol behind the passenger seat. A handgun was later found underneath the seat after the jeep had been towed.
The officers ultimately arrested Jones after three field sobriety tests, as well as a breathalyzer. According to the report, the fighter’s blood-alcohol level was twice the New Mexico legal limit of .08.
“As part of the investigation into this incident, our Gun Violence Reduction Unit will test the firearm and bullet casing to determine whether the gun has been used in any crimes,” Albuquerque police director of communications Gilbert Gallegos said in a statement. “Reducing gun violence in Albuquerque is our top priority.”
According to ESPN, Jones could face up to six months in jail based on the charges of his arrest. Aggravated DWI carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and one year of probation in New Mexico, plus a mandatory penalty of 48 hours in jail. Additionally, the maximum penalty for negligent use of a deadly weapon is six months in jail. No proof of insurance carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail.
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