Iowa State legend Troy Davis was 'about to drive home drunk,' complaint says

AMES, Ia. — An Iowa State University police officer prevented Cyclones football great Troy Davis from driving drunk early Sunday morning, according to the criminal complaint filed with the Story County Clerk's office that was obtained by the Register on Monday.

The 41-year-old from Miami was arrested and charged with public intoxication at 2:29 a.m. Sunday on Chamberlain Street in Ames. He was later bailed out of jail Sunday afternoon.

According to the arresting officer's complaint and affidavit filed with the clerk's office:

On the above date and time, I was patrolling on Chamberlain Street when two males approached me saying their friend was extremely intoxicated and about to drive home drunk. I noticed another group of males holding the intoxicated male, the defendant, next to a car. The defendant was unable to stand unassisted.

When I approached the defendant his eyes were extremely bloodshot and watery. I could smell the strong scent of an alcoholic beverage emanating on or about his person. The defendant admitted to drinking 3 Crown and Cokes. The defendant's speech was extremely slurred and I could smell the strong scent of a consumed alcoholic beverage emanating on his breath. The defendant refused all of the Standardized Field Sobriety tests and the Preliminary Breath Test. I arrested the defendant at approximately 0229 hours.

Davis, Iowa State’s Hall of Fame former football player, told The Register Sunday evening he had "no regrets" after winding up in jail Sunday morning, some 14 hours after being honored during the Cyclones’ game against Baylor on Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium. Davis, in the Sunday interview with the Register, said he had not been attempting to drive anywhere when he was approached by police Sunday morning.

Davis told the Register that he went to two or three clubs Sunday. He said he thought the arrest may have stemmed from an encounter he had with a security guard at AJ’s Ultra Lounge, at 2401 Chamberlain St.

Davis said a security guard told him to move to the front of the line but was then told he had to wait by another employee. The two exchanged words.

“I don’t remember what I said to him, but I did have some words and just left. I think that was one of the reasons why the police came,” Davis recalled.

When he was approached by officers, Davis was asked if he was drunk.

“Everybody else was. It didn’t feel like I was the only one drunk,” he said. “We were there, having fun.”

Davis was taken to Story County Jail, where he was held on $300 bond.

Peterson: Even the great ones, like Troy Davis, can make poor decisions

Davis told the Register he felt police should have offered him a ride.

“I don’t have no regrets at all," Davis said Sunday afternoon. "Who’s not going to drink and not going to celebrate an accomplishment that too many athletes do not get?

“Why can’t I have fun with the induction into the hall of fame that I got?”

Davis said a friend bailed him out at around 3:30 Sunday afternoon.

“I don’t feel like I should have went to jail because every fan was in there, enjoying my presence. You can ask any fan that was around or saw me there — nothing that I did wrong.”

The only major-college running back to rush for 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons, Davis will be inducted into college football Hall of Fame in December. He finished second in Heisman Trophy balloting in 1996.