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

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.