Jim Irsay had over $29K during stop

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Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Colts owner Jim Irsay was unsteady on his feet and said he was confused over which road his house was located on after Carmel, Ind., police pulled him over March 16.

Details of Irsay's arrest were published by The Indianapolis Star on Wednesday night after the newspaper obtained police reports through a public-records request.

According to The Star, Irsay, through slurred speech, admitted to taking several medications but refused to submit to a blood test.

Police found $29,029 in cash and a number of prescription medication bottles in the Toyota Highlander that Irsay was driving in an upscale area of the suburb north of Indianapolis. The report said that Irsay was driving erratically, travelling at about 10 miles an hour in a 35 mph zone, then came to a complete stop for no apparent reason.

After undergoing sobriety tests and nearly falling repeatedly, he was eventually handcuffed and arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and four counts of possession of a controlled substance. He has not been formally charged and is undergoing treatment at an out-of-state health-care facility.

Irsay was scheduled to go to court Wednesday for an initial hearing, but it was postponed indefinitely at the request of his attorneys.

According to the records obtained by The Star, Irsay said he hadn't consumed any alcohol, and the arresting officer told a supervisor that he "believed Irsay to be intoxicated on a substance other than alcohol."

Irsay eventually submitted to the blood draw at 2:40 a.m., after a warrant was obtained. The 54-year-old reportedly bought a house last month that is located near where he was stopped by police.

Records obtained by The Star list 11 pieces of evidence noted as "drugs/prescription." In 2002, Irsay acknowledged that he had become dependent on painkillers after a few orthopedic operations, but said he'd overcome the problem after treatment.

His daughter, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, is the principal of authority while Irsay is undergoing treatment. She represented the team during the annual league meetings this week in Orlando, Fla.

ESPN also requested the police documents obtained by The Star but wasn't t notified they were available until after the city attorney's office was closed Wednesday night.