WATCH: Bodycam footage reveals Atlanta Braves' Marcell Ozuna telling cops he is a baseball player before refusing breathalyzer and getting arrested
Atlanta Braves All-Star Marcell Ozuna was arrested early this morning on DUI charges. He was later released on a $1,830 bond.
The outfielder was busted by Norcross Police for speeding and failing to maintain his lane. He was booked into the Gwinnett County Jail at 4:39 a.m.
Bodycam footage from the arresting officer has now emerged. This gives us a more detailed account of the moments leading up to Ozuna’s arrest.
“I’m Ozuna from the Braves” https://t.co/jAp5nkTiJI
"I'm Ozuna from the Braves" - Jomboy Media
Ozuna almost immediately introduced himself as “Ozuna from the Braves”, but that didn’t fetch him any special treatment. He was then asked to step out of his vehicle before the officer prepared for a breathalyzer test.
To avoid digging himself a bigger hole to climb out of, Ozuna refused the test. He was then handcuffed and taken into custody.
Here is the body camera footage of Marcell Ozuna refusing a breathalyzer and being arrested https://t.co/LmPZEfCtlm
Unfortunately, this is not the first time Ozuna has run into trouble with the law.
Last May, he was arrested for aggravated assault and battery after cops witnessed him choke his wife and throw her against a wall.
The charges were later dropped after he entered a pre-trial diversion program. Ozuna was suspended for 20 games under the MLB’s Domestic Violence policy, causing him to miss the Braves’ historic World Series run.
Marcell Ozuna might be on borrowed time at the Braves
The Atlanta Braves signed Marcell Ozuna to a lucrative four-year deal worth $65 million back in February 2021. In 155 games since the start of the 2021 campaign, he has compiled a .214 BA, .271 OBP, and .381 SLG with 27 homers and 153 K's.
Irrespective of his statistics, which aren’t compelling to begin with, there is no excuse for domestic violence or endangering others on the road.
The latest developments, coupled with his past record, could allow the Braves to contemplate trading him before the end of his contract. For now, the franchise is expected to announce a sanction of some form. We don’t know what will be the extent of it yet.
The league committee hasn't announced a sentence of their own, and it's unlikely that they will. MLB doesn't have a formal DUI suspension policy.
Toronto Blue Jays coach Pete Walker was arrested for DUI last spring. High-profile names like Miguel Cabrera, Shin-Soo Choo, Danny Duffy, and Yovani Gallardo have all been guilty of the same in recent years. However, none of them faced suspensions.