Former Minnesota Viking Everson Griffen was charged Monday with drunken driving and reckless driving in connection with a traffic stop over the weekend in Chanhassen.
According to Griffen’s misdemeanor citation, he was stopped late Saturday morning by a Carver County sheriff’s deputy after he was reported to be driving in a manner that “caused a person or vehicle to dodge” his car.
According to the court documents, Everson Griffen was pulled over and arrested after a pursuit on Powers Boulevard around 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
The deputy said he activated his emergency lights and sirens after seeing the driver’s “reckless and erratic” driving, but the driver continued moving at “a high rate of speed.”
Griffen performed poorly when given a field sobriety test and had a .099 breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) during his preliminary breath test and then a .09 DMT sample when at Carver County Jail.
According to the court documents, the deputy also reported a little smell of alcohol, and noted that the Griffen’s eyes were “very bloodshot, watery, and glassy,” and during questioning, the ex-Vikings edge rusher said he was returning from a casino and was going to a restaurant’s grand opening.
Everson who was driving in his 1968 Pontiac LeMans, was charged with 4th-degree driving while intoxicated (DWI).
His arrest is coming days after 21-year-old rookie receiver Jordan Addison was cited after he was clocked by a trooper speeding in his Lamborghini at 140 mph in a 55 mph zone.
Griffen had been an advocate for mental health ever since he revealed since he announced that he had bipolar disorder. He stayed with the Vikings for 11 seasons and has the fourth-most career sacks in the club’s history.