Everson Griffen interlock device arrest follows Minnesota traffic stop
Everson Griffen says alcohol and drugs were not involved after a Minnesota arrest tied to an interlock device charge.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Everson Griffen interlock device questions are now following the former Minnesota Vikings star after TMZ reported he was arrested in southeastern Minnesota and booked on a gross misdemeanor charge.
According to TMZ, the former NFL defensive end was arrested Friday night. The outlet reported he had been pulled over in Winona on Thursday at about 8:12 p.m. after allegedly driving 62 mph in a 40 mph zone on Riverview Drive.
A representative for the Winona County Detention Center told TMZ that Griffen was booked on a gross misdemeanor charge of failing to drive with an interlock device. TMZ reported that jail records show Griffen was released after posting bond.
Why was Everson Griffen arrested?
TMZ reported that Griffen was booked over the interlock device issue after the Winona traffic stop. An ignition interlock device is a breath-testing unit connected to a vehicle that prevents the car from starting unless the driver provides a required alcohol-free breath sample.
Griffen pushed back on any suggestion that the stop involved alcohol or drugs. In an Instagram post after the arrest, he said “nothing happened” when he was pulled over and said his license had been revoked because he had not completed a required class or test.
Griffen also wrote that he had recently moved and planned to handle both the class and an address change on Monday. He said he was not drinking, was not smoking and was not doing anything wrong.
TMZ said it reached out to Griffen for additional comment and had not received a response.
What happens next in court?
Griffen is scheduled to return to court on August 28, according to TMZ. No further case details were reported.
The arrest puts a legal matter around a player well known to Vikings fans. Griffen was selected by Minnesota in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft and spent 10 seasons with the franchise, according to TMZ.
During his NFL career, Griffen made four Pro Bowls and recorded 85.5 sacks, TMZ reported. The outlet described him as one of Minnesota’s top defensive players of the past decade.
For now, the known facts are narrow: TMZ reported a speeding stop in Winona, a gross misdemeanor booking tied to an interlock device requirement, a bond release and Griffen’s public denial that alcohol or drugs played any role.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.