Adrian Peterson arrested: What charges does ex-NFL star face; past criminal record

Former NFL star Adrian Peterson was arrested in Sugar Land, Texas, on Sunday, TMZ reported. He was arrested after allegedly driving under the influence.

What charges are Peterson facing; past criminal record

Peterson is facing two charges of DWI (driving while intoxicated) and one charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon, as per TMZ.

As per Texas law, penalties for DWI depend on whether it is a first time offense or a repeat. For first time offenders, it is a fine of up to $2000, up to 180 days in jail upon conviction with three mandatory days and loss of license up to a year.

If a person is a second time offender, then the fine is up to $4000, and it comes with one month to a year in jail upon conviction. In this case, the driver loses the license for up to two years. For third-time offenders, a $10,000 fine has to be paid, and it comes with a 2-10 year jail sentence, and the person also loses their license for up to two years.

These fines don’t include state fines of $3,000, $4,500, or $6,000 assessed upon sentencing, as per the Texas Department of Transportation.

Notably, this is Peterson’s second DWI arrest this year, after the run-in with law in Minnesota in April. Authorities said he blew a .14 percent blood alcohol content level when the legal limit in the state is 0.8 percent. Thus, Texas would likely see him as a second-time offender, since it has a lifetime lookback period for DWI offenses.

Besides, he was also allegedly unlawfully carrying a weapon. As per Texas law, a person is unlawfully carrying a weapon when they “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on or about his or her person a handgun.” Legal experts say that depending on circumstances, these are treated as Class A misdemeanors or third degree felonies.

If it is the former, then there is a jail sentence of up to a year, and/or a fine of up to $4000. In case of the latter, a person can get 2-10 years behind bars, and/or a fine of up to $10,000.

During his NFL career, Peterson appeared for seven teams across 15 seasons, but was perhaps best known for his time with the Vikings. He was born in Palestine, Texas, a small town about three hours north of Sugar Land.