Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo was issued a citation for possessing an open container of alcohol in a moving vehicle. This citation was connected to his arrest last week in Wisconsin on suspicion of operating while under the influence.
Authorities stated that an open bottle of an alcoholic beverage was found on the passenger side of Romo’s black Jeep. The discovery was made during an inventory of the vehicle before it was towed. This detail was included in one of three citations released by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office.
Details of the Traffic Stop
Police stopped Romo on Interstate 43 on July 23. The stop occurred after he was observed passing cars in a gore area, which is a section that separates interstate traffic from vehicles entering from an on-ramp. During the stop, Romo reportedly questioned the definition of a gore area.
Body camera footage released earlier this week shows Romo telling deputies he was returning from a golf course and was on his way to visit his grandparents when he was pulled over. A deputy informed Romo that he was suspected of impairment due to his “red glassy eyes” and an “odor of an intoxicating alcoholic beverage.”
Romo was issued three citations in connection with the incident: operating while under the influence, unsafe passing, and possession of an open container in a moving vehicle. He has not been formally charged.
Sobriety Tests and Refusals
During the encounter, Romo performed poorly on field sobriety tests. After being asked to step out of his vehicle, he questioned, “Because I’m coming from a golf course, you think I’m drunk?” He also insisted on calling his lawyer multiple times.
Romo was handcuffed and transported to a different location for further testing, as the initial stop was on a bridge. Inside the sally port of the county jail, he was informed that a search of his vehicle had revealed “a few shooters.” Romo responded by asking if they were consumed, stating, “I don’t think any of them were drank.”
When asked to submit to a preliminary breath test, Romo declined, stating he had been advised by lawyers not to do so. He also refused a blood test, again requesting his lawyer. Following the sobriety tests, Romo asked if he had passed, to which the deputy informed him he was being placed under arrest for operating while under the influence.
Romo was taken into custody, booked, and subsequently released around 11 p.m. CT. Court records indicate he was cited for refusing “to take test for intoxication after arrest.”
Upcoming Court Appearance
Romo, who is 46 years old, has been the lead game analyst for CBS’ NFL coverage since 2017. His NFL career, spanning from 2004-16, was spent entirely with Dallas, where he made four Pro Bowl appearances.
He remains the Cowboys’ franchise leader in career touchdown passes with 248. Romo previously held the franchise record for career passing yards, which was 34,183, until Dak Prescott surpassed him last season. Romo is scheduled to appear in court on September 21 at 8:30 a.m.
Source: thestar.com
