Bucs WR Boston charged with DUI

Asleep at the wheel in Pinellas Park, he thought he was in Hillsborough County.

By ANNE LINDBERGAND, RICK STROUD, Times Staff Writers
Published August 25, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT David Boston was charged with driving under the influence and released on his own recognizance.

PINELLAS PARK - David Boston's comeback effort was interrupted when the Bucs starting receiver was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.

Boston, 29, was found asleep at the steering wheel of his dark red Range Rover about 7:25 p.m. Thursday. Awakened by police, he told them he was on his way from Orlando to a Tampa International Airport hotel and thought he was in Hillsborough County.

But Friday morning, Boston participated in a walk-through practice at the team's training facility in Tampa and he accompanied the club to Miami for tonight's preseason game against the Dolphins.

It was uncertain whether he would play. The Bucs had no comment on Boston's arrest.

A passerby Thursday called both Pinellas Park police and firefighters to report the Range Rover had not moved when the light at Park Boulevard and 49th Street N turned green.

Two officers who arrived a minute after receiving the call found the Range Rover in the southbound lanes of 49th. They said the vehicle was running and in drive.

They called in a traffic officer experienced in alcohol-related driving cases, as well as one of the department's certified drug recognition experts who are trained to evaluate drivers who may be under the influence of something other than alcohol.

Officers had to open the door of Boston's vehicle and "wake him up," said Capt. Sandy Forseth, spokesman for the Pinellas Park Police Department.

"In Mr. Boston's case, his eyes were really indicating that something was going on there," Forseth said. "There's a fluttering, a bouncing of the eyeballs. They call it nystagmus. Mr. Boston's eyes were displaying a lot of nystagmus."

Forseth said he believed officers conducted four field sobriety tests, though he couldn't be specific. The results, combined with their observations of Boston's eyes, speech and demeanor, gave them reason to believe he was "impaired by some controlled substance or alcohol," he said.

On a tape of the field sobriety tests released Friday, Boston volunteers to take blood and Breathalyzer tests.

At one point, Boston asks to call his attorney and is told it is not permitted.

"Oh, my God, I'm not doing anything wrong," Boston said when asked to place his hands behind his back to be handcuffed. "How am I under the influence? Are you kidding me?"

The officers took Boston into custody and performed a Breathalyzer test. When the test came back negative, Officer Eric Schroeder, the drug recognition expert, or DRE, wanted to conduct a 12-step test to determine whether ingested drugs were involved.

"I'm understanding that Mr. Boston refused to participate in a lot of the DRE evaluation after the breath test," Forseth said. "Mr. Boston refused to cooperate."

Boston was within his rights to refuse, without fear of repercussions, Forseth said.

Officers took a urine sample to test for drugs. The results will not be available for several days, Forseth said. Officers did not ask for a blood test.

Boston was charged with driving under the influence and released on his own recognizance.

Officer Mike Nicholson, who helps train the drug recognition experts, said three categories of drugs could account for the nystagma: depressants, inhalants or dissociative anaesthetic, formerly known as PCP. Nicholson said the nystagma could also be unrelated to drug use and caused by health problems.

Boston made no incriminating statements, Forseth said.

He did tell officers that he had left a Buccaneers' practice field in Orlando's Celebration area and was headed to the Tampa International Airport, where he had a hotel room for the night.

The Bucs broke training camp in Orlando on Aug. 16.

"When asked if he knew where he was, he had no idea," Forseth said.

Told he was in Pinellas Park, Boston responded:

" 'Where is Pinellas Park?' " Forseth said. "He thought he was somewhere in Hillsborough."

This is the second stint with the Bucs for Boston, who has only played in five NFL games since 2003. Attempting a comeback from knee surgery, Boston was cut just before to the start of last season.

In 2002, Boston tested positive for cocaine and marijuana after a traffic stop. He pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors.

In 2004 with the Dolphins, he was suspended for four games for violating the league's steroid policy. At the time of his suspension, he had suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Boston appealed, saying he did not take an anabolic steroid, but it was denied. Later that month, he was charged with simple assault in Burlington, Vt., and eventually pleaded no contest to striking a ticket agent at the airport.

[Last modified August 24, 2007, 23:22:24]