Colts owner Jim Irsay faces four felony counts after being arrested late Sunday night on preliminary charges of possession of a controlled substance and driving while intoxicated.
Irsay was arrested in the northern Indianapolis suburb of Carmel, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. His bond was set at $22,500.
“During the course of the investigation, Irsay subsequently failed several roadside field sobriety tests,” Carmel police Lt. Joe Bickel said in a release.
While searching Irsay’s vehicle, “multiple prescription drugs were discovered in pill bottles. These Schedule IV prescription drugs were not associated with any prescription bottles found in the vehicle,” according to police.
The Colts released a statement late Monday morning.
“We are gathering information at this time regarding last night’s incident involving Jim Irsay,” the statement said. “The team will issue additional statements when the facts are sorted and we are aware of the next steps to this process. Many fans have reached out to express their concern and we appreciate their support.”
Irsay, who frequently interacts with fans on Twitter, wrote in an October tweet that, “I don’t drink…haven’t in over 15 years.”
He will be subject to league discipline under the NFL’s personal conduct policy, which applies to all personnel.
Now 54, Irsay acknowledged in 2002 that he had become dependent on painkillers after several orthopedic operations but said he had overcome the problem after undergoing treatment.
Irsay, who lives in Carmel, became the Colts’ owner in 1997 after the death of his father, Robert Irsay, and a lengthy legal battle with his father’s second wife. He is the seventh Colts player or official to be arrested since January 2010.
Forbes magazine estimated Irsay’s net worth at $1.6 billion. His wife of 33 years, Meg Irsay, filed for divorce in November, citing an “irretrievable breakdown” of the marriage.
A joint statement issued by the couple said Jim Irsay would retain full ownership of the Colts and his other business interests. The couple, who married in 1980, have been separated for a decade and are the parents of three adult daughters.