In a strange turn of events, Las Vegas Raiders star Charles Snowden found himself arrested on a DUI charge last month after telling police officers he thought he was in Florida—while actually being in Nevada.
The defensive end, who had been unconscious behind the wheel of his running car, was discovered with a blood-alcohol level over twice the legal limit, leading to a misdemeanor charge.
The Arrest and the Odd Encounter
The incident occurred on the night of December 9, 2024, around 11:30 p.m., when Las Vegas Metro Police received a call about a suspicious vehicle.
Upon arriving at the scene, they found Snowden’s 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee teetering dangerously close to a four-foot retaining wall, with its engine still running and the car in neutral.
Bodycam footage later revealed a disoriented Snowden, who briefly awoke but quickly fell back asleep as officers approached.
He was wearing a Santa hat that had “Raiders” written on it, adding an odd touch to the scene.
Snowden’s Confusing Response to Police
When Snowden finally managed to get out of the vehicle, he gave a puzzling answer to police when asked what he was doing.
“Trying to get home,” he replied, before being asked whether he knew which state he was in.
In a moment of confusion, Snowden answered, “Florida.”
The officers corrected him, but Snowden was unable to respond, and at one point, he appeared to drift off again, this time resting on the police car’s hood.
Sobering Results from the DUI Test
Upon further examination, officers noted that Snowden had the distinct smell of alcohol and was unable to stand steady on his feet.
His blood tests showed ethanol concentrations of 0.19 and 0.18, well above Nevada’s legal limit of 0.08.
The Legal Response
Snowden’s attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, issued a statement saying, “Mr. Snowden will be entering a not guilty plea and we will respond in court, which is the appropriate forum.”
The Raiders organization has acknowledged the arrest but declined to provide further comments, citing the ongoing legal matter.
Snowden’s NFL Journey
The 26-year-old, undrafted out of Virginia, had just completed his first full season with the Raiders.
After spending time on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad in 2022, Snowden has worked his way into a role with the Raiders.
Despite the unfortunate incident, it’s clear that his journey in the NFL has only just begun.