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Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace has plead guilty to alcohol charges stemming from a Sept. 24 arrest.
On Tuesday, Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace pleaded guilty to charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and possessing a firearm while under the influence of alcohol, according to mlive.com. The charges qualify as a misdemeanor. According to the piece, Wallace entered the plea in Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac, and he could face a maximum of 93 days in jail. Prosecutors agreed to drop a felony carrying a concealed weapon charge in exchange for Wallace's guilty plea.
Wallace was carrying an unloaded pistol when he was arrested during a traffic stop at or around 3:00 a.m. on Sept. 24. The backpack that contained the pistol also held ammunition. His Cadillac Escalade was being driven erratically in and out of his lane, so he was stopped at Telegraph and Long Lake Road by Bloomfield Township Police Station. Wallace blew a 0.14 on his breath test, well over the legal limit in Michigan, which is 0.08.
With the NBA lockout canceling more games on Tuesday, there was hope that at least some good news would be coming from within the league. Unfortunately, that is not the case, at least with Ben Wallace. The Detroit Pistons center was arrested on alcohol and weapons charges last month, and his hearing has been postponed according to the Detroit News.
Wallace, who faces weapon and drunken driving charges, was arrested Sept. 24 at Telegraph and Long Lake Road after Bloomfield Township police officers said they saw his 2007 Cadillac Escalade swerving.
Police said they found an unloaded handgun and ammunition in a backpack in Wallace's back seat. A field sobriety test showed Wallace was over the .08 legal limit.
Wallace's hearing has now been postponed until Nov. 1. Because of the weapons charge he is facing up to five years in jail, and an additional 93 days for the drunken driving charge. Wallace waived his right to a preliminary hearing because he hoped to avoid jail time, and the judge for the preliminary hearing has been known to give first offenders jail time.
Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace was arrested at 3 a.m. this past Saturday. He was pulled over in Bloomfield Hills and was arrested for drunken driving and carrying a concealed weapon.
It's not clear what Wallace's blood-alcohol level was, but a breathalyzer test revealed it was over the legal limit (.08). A search of Wallace's car -- a 2007 Cadillac Escalade -- revealed he was carrying a pistol. It wasn't loaded, but it was found in a backpack in the passenger compartment.
Wallace was arraigned on Saturday and charged with operating while intoxicated and the unlawful carrying of a concealed weapon. The OWI charge is a 93-day misdemeanor, whereas the concealed weapon charge is a five-year felony. One wouldn't think he will face that much jail time, but then again, he has been assigned Judge Kimberly Small.
His case has been assigned by blind draw to District Judge Kimberly Small, who made headlines this past July when she sentenced ESPN analyst and former NBA and Michigan basketball star Jalen Rose to 20 days in the Oakland County Jail and one year's probation for a March drunken driving incident in which he drove off the road in West Bloomfield Township.
It was Rose's first drunken driving offense, but Small frequently sentences first-time offenders to jail, citing national statistics and the deadly seriousness of motorists making the decision to get behind the wheel while drunk.
Wallace has a pre-exam conference scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 3.
Ben Wallace Sentenced To Probation
In the wake of pleading guilty to drunken driving and weapons charges, Detroit Pistons' center Ben Wallace was sentenced to probation with a fine on Tuesday. The charges stem from a drunken driving incident on September 24th in Bloomfield Township. Wallace plead guilty a few weeks ago, and received his punishment today:
Wallace recently announced he was returning for a 16th NBA season this year for the Pistons. Wallace started 49 games last season and averaged 2.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in an average of 23 minutes. For his career he has been a rebounding force, averaging 10 rebounds per game. He is also known for his stout interior defense.
Dec 13 9:39a by Travis Miller