Paul Pierce arrested for allegedly driving drunk on California freeway

LOS ANGELES - NBA Hall of Famer Paul Pierce was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence on the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles, officials said.

What we know:

In a press release, California Highway Patrol officials said they responded to an unrelated multi-car crash on the northbound lanes of the 101 Freeway near Universal City on Tuesday, Oct. 7, around 10:40 p.m. The CHP then closed four of the six lanes for the investigation.

About an hour later, they reopened the lanes when they saw a Range Rover SUV stopped in the roadway, south of the crash scene. This is when CHP officers said they saw Pierce asleep at the wheel and "noticed signs of alcohol impairment." Officers proceeded to conduct a DUI investigation.

Pierce was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. 

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What's next:

The case will be reviewed by the LA City Attorney’s Office.

The other side:

Pierce issued a statement on Instagram saying he fell asleep, "Imagine being stuck in stand still traffic for 45 mins and falling asleep. I took this picture that night because I never been in stand still traffic for this long. I’m old, I’m tired, and I fell asleep. I’m good y’all thanks for the love."

The backstory:

Pierce grew up in Inglewood and played college basketball at the University of Kansas.

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He went on to play 19 seasons in the NBA, becoming a 10-time NBA All-Star. He won an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008 and was named Finals MVP. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.