Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen has been formally charged with two misdemeanor counts following his Aug. 30 arrest in downtown Indianapolis, though the team does not expect the veteran to miss game time while the matter moves through court.
Key takeaways
- Allen faces a Class A misdemeanor allegation tied to an alcohol concentration of .15 or higher, plus a Class C misdemeanor count of operating while intoxicated.
- Police recorded a portable breath-test result of .224 after encountering Allen around 1 a.m. on Aug. 30.
- An attorney conference in the case is set for Oct. 26.
- Coach Shane Steichen said the Colts will let the legal process run its course.
- Allen signed a one-year contract with Indianapolis in August and caught six passes for 32 yards in the Week 1 loss to Baltimore.
Charges follow downtown arrest
Prosecutors filed the charges Tuesday after Allen was initially arrested by Indianapolis police on preliminary allegations last month. Under Indiana law, the reported .224 alcohol-concentration reading elevated one of the counts to the more serious Class A misdemeanor level. The separate operating-while-intoxicated charge is classified as a Class C misdemeanor.
The police affidavit states that a sergeant approached Allen after seeing his vehicle stopped in a prohibited parking area at an intersection where the officer was already handling another traffic matter. When Allen got out of the vehicle, the sergeant reported detecting a strong alcohol odor.
Allen agreed to take a portable breath test, officers said. Early attempts did not produce a result because Allen was short of breath, but a reading of .224 was obtained at 1:22 a.m.
Police then took Allen to the Indianapolis Criminal Justice Center. Officers reported several signs of impairment during field-sobriety testing, including missed steps during a heel-to-toe walking exercise. A blood sample was collected at 2:08 a.m.; the affidavit did not include laboratory results from that draw.
Colts await legal and league resolution
Steichen said Wednesday that Indianapolis is allowing the court process to proceed. Any NFL discipline would be handled separately under the league’s substance-abuse and alcohol policy.
NFL policy can call for a three-game suspension in alcohol-related violations, with harsher punishment possible in cases involving higher intoxication levels. The league generally waits until a case has been adjudicated before imposing discipline in drunk-driving matters.
Allen, 34, arrived in Indianapolis on a one-year deal in August after spending 12 seasons with the Chargers. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, he opened his Colts tenure with six receptions for 32 yards in the team’s Week 1 defeat against the Baltimore Ravens.
