Raiders' Snowden facing misdemeanor DUI charge after arrest

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders football player Charles Snowden was arrested in Las Vegas on a misdemeanor driving under the influence charge and released from police custody with a court date set for April, authorities said Thursday.

Snowden, a 26-year-old first-year defensive end, was arrested early Tuesday after Las Vegas police responded to a report of a “suspicious" vehicle near a busy intersection southwest of the Las Vegas Strip, according to court records and police reports.

His attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, acknowledged the arrest and the Raiders said Thursday the team was in contact with the NFL and local authorities about “the incident involving Charles Snowden.”

“The club will not comment further as this is a legal matter,” the team statement said.

It was not immediately clear if the arrest would affect Snowden’s status with the team. He has played every game this season, including in Sunday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Florida. The Raiders next play Monday, hosting the Atlanta Falcons in Las Vegas.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed league officials were in contact with the Raiders. League policy calls alcohol abuse “detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence" in the league and allows Commissioner Roger Goodell to impose a three-game suspension without pay for a first offense.

The Raiders have had several players arrested on charges of driving under the influence since the team moved from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020.

The team and the community were scarred by the arrest and conviction of former first-round draft pick Henry Ruggs, a wide receiver, after a fiery high-speed crash that killed a woman and her dog on a city street in November 2021. Ruggs, now 25, was sentenced in 2023 to three to 10 years in state prison following his guilty plea to felony DUI and other charges.

The Raiders released reserve defensive safety Roderic Teamer in November 2023 after his arrest in Las Vegas on misdemeanor driving under the influence and speeding charges. Records show Teamer pleaded no contest in July to reckless driving, paid $1,000 in fines and fees, and other charges against him were dismissed.

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AP Sports Writer Mark Anderson contributed to this report.