Former Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson has avoided jail time for driving drunk after an appearance at a team draft party last year.
Peterson, 40, was sentenced last week in Hennepin County District Court after pleading guilty to misdemeanor fourth-degree DWI in connection with the April 25 traffic stop in Richfield.
As part of a plea agreement, a 90-day jail sentence was set aside for one year, during which time he’ll be on probation. He was ordered to complete 32 hours of community service.
Court records also show Peterson completed a Mothers Against Drunk Driving online victim impact panel last month, which was another requirement of the plea deal.
Peterson’s attorney, David Valentini, did not immediately return a message seeking comment Thursday.
A jail mugshot Adrian Peterson
Adrian Peterson (Courtesy of the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office)
Peterson, of Missouri City, Texas, attended the official Vikings draft party at U.S. Bank Stadium the night of April 25. He was interviewed on KFAN at the event and spoke about his motivation to push himself as a player and his eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2027.
About 3:20 a.m., a state trooper recorded him going 83 mph in a 55 mph zone in his Audi Q5 on Minnesota 77 near 66th Street. A preliminary breath test registered a blood alcohol content of 0.14. The legal limit to drive in Minnesota is 0.08.
It would be the first of two DWI arrests in six months for the 2012 NFL MVP and three-time league rushing champion.
About 9:20 a.m. Oct. 26, police in Sugar Land, Texas, found Peterson asleep behind the wheel of his Mercedes SUV, which was running and parked with headlights on at a gas pump. He was awakened and smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot glassy eyes and slurred speech, according to a Fort Bend County court filing.
Peterson told a police officer he’d been at a poker game in Houston and that he drank “approximately 2 to 3 shots of a Vodka mix,” the filing states. A sample of his blood later showed his BAC was greater than 0.15.
Peterson was charged with misdemeanor DWI and misdemeanor unlawfully carrying a weapon. The case is pending, and he’s due back in court for an April 21 hearing.
In a 15-year career in the NFL spent mostly with the Vikings, Peterson had 3,230 carries for 14,918 yards and 120 touchdowns. He also spent time with the New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders, Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks.