Ryan Malone, left wing for the Tampa Bay Lightning, was arrested early Saturday morning on charges of cocaine possession and driving under the influence. Malone, 34, was driving around Rome Street in Tampa, FL around 3:20am when an officer noticed Malone’s car hit a curb. Concerned, the officer pulled Malone over and found cocaine in his pants pocket and saw Ryan noticeably intoxicated. His blood alcohol level was a .116, which is well over Florida’s legal limit of .08. He was brought into the police station and booked at 5:40am this morning, and is being held on a $2500 bond – $2,000 for cocaine possession, and $500 for the DUI charge.
Steve Yzerman, general manager for the Lightning, said in a statement that Ryan would not be joining the team for Sunday’s away game against the Washington Capitals. “We are aware of the situation concerning Ryan Malone this morning,” Yzerman says in the statement. “Ryan will not travel with the team to Washington today, but beyond that we cannot comment further at this time.” As of 8am this morning, Ryan is still in custody at the Hillsborough County Jail, according to the Hillsborough Jail’s website.
BREAKING: #Lightning player Ryan Malone arrested for DUI, cocaine possession in Tampa http://t.co/xgQljfoKTx pic.twitter.com/cJVTq1owBl
— 10 News (@WTSP10News) April 12, 2014
Malone in his his sixth season with the Tampa Bay Lightning; before that, he spent four years with the Pittsburg Penguins in his hometown. Ryan was also a team member on the U.S Olympic Men’s Hockey Team at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Over his ten year career, Malone has proven to be a valuable player, with a total of 179 goals and 191 assists in his 641 games. He’s scored only five goals this season for the Lightning out of their 57 games so far, which is a career low for Malone. His previous low season was back in 2006 for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Get Ryan Malone some help. Do your best to prevent intoxicated drivers. Be glad no one died or got seriously injured.
— PI Chad (@MadChad412) April 12, 2014
Image via Official Twitter