Former Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Police said they found Pierce asleep at the wheel on a Los Angeles highway when responding to an unrelated multi-car crash, per the Associated Press. They closed four of six lanes on U.S. Highway 101 and discovered Pierce sleeping in a stopped Range Rover SUV after they reopened the lanes approximately an hour later.
Officers “noticed signs of alcohol impairment” before conducting a DUI investigation. They arrested Pierce on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Pierce responded to the incident on Thursday night, posting a photo of the traffic jam and denying that he drove impaired.
“Imagine being stuck in stand still traffic for 45 mins and falling asleep,” Pierce wrote on Instagram. “I took this picture that night because I never been in stand still traffic for this long. I’m old, I’m tired, and I fell asleep. I’m good y’all. Thanks for the love.”
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Pierce spent 15 seasons of his 19-year career with the Celtics, averaging 21.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. The 10-time All-Star places second to John Havlicek on the franchise’s all-time leaderboard, leading the organization in three-pointers, free throws and steals.
The shooting guard was named 2008 NBA Finals MVP after leading the Celtics to a championship. Pierce averaged 19.7 points per game that postseason and recorded 10 assists in a title-clinching Game 6 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Pierce played with the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers before retiring in 2017. The Hall of Famer previously worked as an NBA analyst for ESPN prior to joining Fox Sports last year.
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