Fred Taylor arrested after Miami bar incident

[Mendoza Line]

By ASSOCIATED PRESS | August 31, 2008
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP)

Jacksonville's career rushing and receiving leaders were arrested in a span of about five hours.

Running back Fred Taylor was arrested outside a Miami Beach nightclub early Saturday and charged with disorderly conduct. Former receiver Jimmy Smith was arrested Friday night on a drunken driving charge in Jacksonville.

Taylor was released on his own recognizance and agreed to appear in court at a future date, according to Miami Beach Police Department spokesman Juan Sanchez. Taylor was not taken to jail.

Sanchez did not immediately return a phone message left by The Associated Press. He told the Florida Times-Union that Taylor was arrested about 4 a.m. outside Club Cristal, but said he had no other details.

Smith was arrested after he tried to drive around a DUI checkpoint about 10:45 p.m. Friday. Jacksonville Sheriffs officers said there was a ''strong odor of marijuana'' coming from Smith's car and marijuana butts in the console. They searched the car and found marijuana and an open container of beer.

Smith failed a field sobriety test and was charged with open container and possession of marijuana less than 20 grams, both misdemeanors.

''I'm dealing with a very difficult, very personal issue and I know this is not the solution,'' Smith told the Times-Union. ''Everybody has issues. My issues are just magnified.''

Jaguars spokesman Dan Edwards said the team had no comment on the arrests.

Smith's lawyer, Hank Coxe, told the Times-Union his client was released around 9:30 a.m. Saturday after posting $503 bail.

Smith served a four-game suspension to begin the 2003 season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He abruptly retired in May 2006, leaving the game with 862 catches and 12,287 receiving yards.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Quality behavior.

Side note from me: When I lived in Florida, a friend of mine who went to UF sold Taylor an XBOX for $1000. (When they were first released and everyone was going crazy and overpaying.)