Strike 1, you’re out!
A former Major League Baseball pitcher allegedly had a few too many drinks and was charged with driving under the influence on Friday – just one day after graduating from the police academy. He was promptly fired by the Henderson Police Department.
That’s one heck of an ironic way to celebrate a new career in law enforcement.
Chasen Bradford, who played for the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners during his three-year-MLB career, was hired six months ago and was one of 14 probationary officers in the graduating class. However, as of Saturday, Bradford was no longer employed by HPD.
According to an arrest report released Monday, a caller on Friday night reported a Ford pickup truck was “swerving all over the road,” “hitting medians” and “driving up on a curb.”
A Henderson police officer stopped a vehicle matching the description, at which point the driver allegedly identified himself as Bradford.
When another officer arrived on scene, the first officer pointed out an “aroma of an unknown alcoholic beverage coming from within the vehicle,” according to the report.
After unsatisfactorily completing two out of three roadside sobriety tests, Bradford was administered a preliminary breath test, which allegedly registered his blood alcohol content at .104 percent.
Nevada’s legal limit for driving is .08 percent.
Bradford initially said he had drank two beers a few hours earlier, but he later changed his story to say that it was “five or six beers throughout the course of the day,” according to the report.
After being taken to Henderson Detention Center, Bradford was given two more breath tests, both of which allegedly exceeded .094.
“Driving Under the Influences poses serious risks to our community and the Henderson Police Department will have zero tolerance for this behavior,” Henderson chief of police Hollie Chadwick wrote in a letter confirming Bradford’s termination.
“Our valley cannot afford to lose further lives due to the actions of our motorists, this includes members of the Henderson Police Department.”
Bradford was booked on a misdemeanor DUI charge and released Saturday after shelling out a $2,000 cash bond. His arraignment currently is set for April 22.