Skip navigation

Two Raiders arrested for public drunkenness

Woodson, Anderson face court date for charges

Sunday Night Football
Cowboys-Eagles: Watch live online
Watch NBC's presentation of Dallas at Philadelphia in an HD player with DVR style controls, alternate angles, stats, highlights and more.
Video: Football from NBC Sports
Baltimore Ravens v Cincinnati Bengals
Getty Images
Hot topics: Week 9
Nov. 8: Dan Patrick, Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison believe both the Bengals and the Chargers made big statements with their Week 9 wins.

Special feature
Green Bay Packers v Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Vote for supremacy
  Who gets your vote: Will the pom-poms win another one or get crushed by the coozy?
Slideshow
Atlanta Falcons v New Orleans Saints
  Sideline support
Check out some of the NFL cheerleaders from across the league.

more photos

updated 5:35 p.m. ET Dec. 20, 2004

ALAMEDA, Calif. - Four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Woodson and safety Marques Anderson were arrested early Monday for investigation of public intoxication following the Raiders’ victory over the Tennessee Titans.

The Oakland Police Department said the players were arrested at 4:20 a.m. in downtown Oakland after refusing to leave the back seat of a woman’s car. Both were jailed briefly, police spokeswoman Danielle Ashford said.

“Apparently what happened, an officer in our transportation section was flagged down by a woman who said the men were in the back of her car and wouldn’t get out,” said Ashford, who was uncertain whether the players knew the woman. “They were very uncooperative. They had problems maintaining their balance, bloodshot watery eyes and had a strong odor of alcohol. They were acting in a belligerent manner.”

Story continues below ↓
advertisement | your ad here

Both players could be subject to league sanctions under the NFL’s substance-abuse policy within the collective bargaining agreement.

Woodson, 28, and Anderson, 25, were booked into Oakland City Jail. Bail is not required for the misdemeanor offense, Ashford said, but Anderson had to post $5,000 because of an outstanding traffic violation. Both were released between 8 and 9 a.m., Ashford said.

Ashford didn’t know when the players would appear in court.

Coach Norv Turner expressed disappointment when he discussed the situation on the heels of Sunday’s 40-35 win over the Titans. Players were off Monday because the Raiders play Saturday at Kansas City, and Turner hadn’t spoken to Woodson or Anderson.

“It’s a situation where you’d like your guys to not be in that situation,” Turner said. “The thing we always talk about, those hours are where problems turn up. That’s how you avoid them, by staying out of those situations. Again, I don’t know a lot about exactly what happened, so I’d prefer not to comment on it until I do.”

Woodson, designated as the Raiders’ franchise player in February, didn’t play against the Titans because of an injured knee, but hustled through the locker room high-fiving teammates afterward.

He held out for four months on a mission for big money, but insisted in September there’s more to be concerned with than a long-term contract. Now, such a deal could be in jeopardy.

He signed a one-year tender for $8.782 million Aug. 31 after missing 33 days of training camp. Woodson has 74 tackles, 2½ sacks and two forced fumbles this season.

He hadn’t missed a game since being suspended and sent home by former coach Bill Callahan for the final game last season at San Diego for missing curfew.

Turner hasn’t had any significant issues with Woodson.

“I have had no issues that were a problem,” he said. “You’re always going to have some minor things to deal with. We have not had a major situation.”

In May 2000, Woodson was named in warrants charging him with drunken driving and driving with a suspended license in Ann Arbor, Mich., where he won the 1997 Heisman Trophy for Michigan. Police said he registered a blood-alcohol level of 0.24 percent, more than twice Michigan’s legal limit.

Anderson was acquired in a September trade with Green Bay.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sponsored links