Ex-Browns player arrested after allegedly driving SUV through restaurant, causing $300,000 in damage
Browns waived Phelps later Thursday
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A former Cleveland Browns player was arrested Wednesday night and is accused of crashing his vehicle through a restaurant and causing nearly $300,000 worth of damage. The team waived him Thursday afternoon.
Lonnie Phelps, a defensive lineman, allegedly drove his 2024 Hyundai SUV into a Key West, Florida, restaurant with a female passenger.
Phelps apparently did not cooperate with officers after the crash at the Red Shoe Island Bistro in Key West.
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Browns player Lonnie Phelps allegedly crashed his SUV into a Key West, Florida, restaurant on Wednesday night. (Key West Police Department)
Phelps refused a breathalyzer after allegedly showing signs of impairment, Cleveland.com reported, citing a police report,
The outdoor patio was closed at the time of the incident, the building's owner told the outlet – had it been open, injuries and/or deaths could have occurred.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The building and the vehicle were significantly damaged, but there were no injuries," the Key West Police Department said in a Facebook post.
Lonnie Phelps of the Cleveland Browns runs a drill during OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 24, 2023, in Berea, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
Police said Phelps had asked what he drove into, while also appearing agitated with officers when they tried to interview him.
"I asked Phelps where he was driving from (before the crash), and he said, ‘Right in front of it.’ I re-asked the question four times in different ways, and Phelps always said, ‘Right in front of it,'" the officer wrote.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Phelps was charged with DUI and causing damage to property or a person.
Phelps signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent last year after playing at the University of Kansas – he spent the season on the practice squad.
Cleveland Browns defensive end Lonnie Phelps rushes during the preseason game against the Eagles on Aug. 17, 2023, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He reportedly signed a deal worth $795,000 for this year.
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