ALLEN PARK, Mich. – Detroit Lions cornerback Aaron Berry was arrested in Harrisburg, PA this past Saturday on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, two counts of causing accidental damage to an unattended vehicle and two counts of failure to stop and give information to law enforcement. Berry is the fourth Detroit player arrested since the end of their season in January, and it is the sixth arrest of a Lion during the off-season.
Berry was driving near the Hilton Harrisburg Hotel when the car he was driving struck other parked cars. According to Detroit ABC affiliate WXYZ, after hitting the parked cars, Berry got out of his car and attempted to walk away from the scene. A witness followed him and called the police.
Berry was arrested at 4:45am and booked at the Harrisburg Police Department. He was not cooperative when asked for his information and refused to take a breathalyzer test.
“We are extremely disappointed in the reports involving Aaron Berry and the incident in Pennsylvania this past weekend,” the Lions said in a statement today. “This is not the standard of behavior we expect from any member of our organization.
“We have strongly and repeatedly emphasized the need to be accountable on and off the field, which makes this incident with Aaron all the more disappointing. We will have further comments regarding this situation when appropriate.”
Berry joins running back Mikel Leshoure, defensive tackle Nick Fairley, and offensive lineman Johnny Culbreath on the Lions police blotter. Leshoure and Fairley have each been arrested twice; all four have been arrested for either DUI or marijuana related infractions.
After the Lions lost to the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs in January, Berry lashed out at Lions fans on Twitter shortly after the game, drawing immediate backlash. In a statement from his agency, Paradigm Sports Management, Berry apologized for his arrest and said he wanted to set a better example for kids.
“I want to offer a sincere apology to the Lions organization, Lions fans, the coaches and all my teammates for my actions this past weekend,” the statement said. “This is not the example I want to set for young people and it’s certainly not what my team and coaches expect from me.
“I promise to do everything in my power to make sure this never happens again. I understand these are just words and it will be my future actions that ultimately will speak for me.”
Follow Jay Scott Smith on Twitter at @JayScottSmith