Owner of NFL's Indianapolis Colts accused of intoxicated driving

[March 18, 2014]  INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) — Billionaire James Irsay, the 54-year-old owner of the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts, was jailed early on Monday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and possession of a controlled substance, authorities said.

Police stopped Irsay on Sunday night for driving at a slow pace, halting in the roadway and failing to signal a turn. He was arrested after failing several roadside field-sobriety tests, police in Carmel, Indiana, said in a statement.

A search of his vehicle yielded multiple prescription drugs that didn't match the labels on any of the prescription-pill bottles found, police said.

"Deepest thx to family, friends, fans, colleagues for the messages of support, thoughts and prayers," Irsay said Monday afternoon on Twitter. "Impossible to tell u how much this means."

Irsay was arrested on the preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and four counts of possession of a controlled substance, the Hamilton County prosecuting attorney's office said in a statement.

"The state has not filed formal charges at this time," the prosecuting attorney's office said. "Unless or until charges are filed, no further comment will be made."

Irsay was booked into the Hamilton County Jail early on Monday on those preliminary charges, according to Hamilton County jail records. Irsay posted a cash bond and was released from the jail Monday afternoon, the sheriff's office said.

His initial hearing is set for March 26 at the Hamilton County Judicial Center in Noblesville, prosecutors said.

Forbes magazine listed Irsay's net worth at about $1.6 billion as of March. The Colts team said in a statement on Monday they were still gathering information about the incident.

"The team will issue additional statements when the facts are sorted and we are aware of the next steps to this process," the Colts' statement said. "Many fans have reached out to express their concern and we appreciate their support."

(Reporting by Susan Guyett in Indianapolis; writing by David Bailey; editing by Barbara Goldberg, Bernadette Baum and Andrew Hay)

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