BELLEVUE, Wash. — Geno Smith, the Seattle Seahawks’ backup quarterback, was arrested last week on suspicion of DUI after troopers say he was seen driving erratically, hitting speeds of up to 96 mph.
He was arrested in the early morning hours of Jan. 10 in south Bellevue on Interstate 405, according to the arrest report.
Trooper Travis Hullinger with the Washington State Patrol (WSP) said he observed Smith’s black Rolls Royce struggle to stay in its lane and, when he activated his emergency lights, fail to stop for more than a mile despite passing wide shoulders and an exit.
In the report, Hullinger said Smith admitted to drinking some wine an hour and a half before getting behind the wheel. He detected a strong odor of “intoxicants” on Smith and tried to screen him by having him do the Walk and Turn test.
The report states that Smith became frustrated, called the test “ridiculous” and refused to continue.
Hullinger placed Smith under arrest and transported him to the WSP’s Bellevue office. Smith did not consent to a breath test, and Hullinger applied for a search warrant to take his blood, which was approved.
The trooper took Smith to a nearby hospital for the test where Smith began to resist having his blood drawn.
The report states Smith told Hullinger that “it would be ugly” for him if he had not been in handcuffs, and that Smith became increasingly upset multiple times, yelling at troopers and hospital security that they were not taking his blood.
Hullinger said he, his partner and sergeant made numerous efforts to de-escalate, but they were unsuccessful.
Smith was laid down on a hospital bed and had restraints placed on his arms and legs, during which the report says “he did not fight.”
Following the blood draw, Smith was handcuffed and taken to the King County correctional facility and booked for suspicion of DUI.
As of Tuesday, the King County Prosecutor’s Office said it is awaiting the results of the blood test to make a filing decision.
Smith was released from custody later on Jan. 10, according to the King County jail roster.
