Tampa Police have confirmed that Lightning forward Ryan Malone was arrested early this morning and charged with Driving Under the Influence, and Possession of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine).
Accoding to police, Tampa Police Lieutenant Paul Luscyznski stopped Malone after observing his SUV strike a curb while making a left turn from the centre lane early Saturday morning. After Malone was pulled over officer Lusczynski smelt alcohol on his breath and found 1.3 grams of cocaine in one of Malone’s pockets.
Malone also refused to take field sobriety tests, but a breathalyzer give at the jail recorded a blood alcohol levels of 0.112 and 0.116 per cent, Lusczynski said. Florida state law, like the majority of states, considers a driver impaired at 0.08.
Ryan Malone was released from the jail on US $2,500 bond.
“We are aware of the situation concerning Ryan Malone this morning,” general manager Steve Yzerman said in a statement. “Ryan will not travel with the team to Washington today, but beyond that we cannot comment further at this time.”
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly also released a statement Saturday afternoon.
“We are aware of the situation this morning involving Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ryan Malone,” Daly said. “Under the terms of the collectively bargained joint NHL/NHLPA Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program, Mr. Malone is subject to mandatory evaluation and, if deemed necessary by the program doctors, treatment pursuant to the terms of that program.
“His future playing status, both in the near term and during the playoffs, will be determined in accordance the terms of our SABH program.”
Malone has 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) and 67 penalty minutes in 57 games this season. He has 370 points (179-191) in 641 career NHL regular-season games with the Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins. He is in the sixth year of a seven-year $31.5 million deal. He will be paid $2.5 million next season, but carries a $4.5 million cap hit due to his front-loaded deal and his AAV.
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