*Baltimore Ravens safety Matt Elam was arrested on multiple drug charges in Miami stemming from a traffic stop on Saturday night (Feb. 24).
The 2013 first-round pick was charged with one count of cannabis possession, one count of possession of cannabis with intent to sell or deliver, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of reckless driving, police said.
According to ESPN.com, Elam was arrested at 7:16 p.m. Saturday after his blue Range Rover passed an unmarked police car “at a high rate of speed” and swerved into the lane in front of the police car, causing its driver to pump the brakes in order to avoid a collision, according to charging documents. He then almost struck vehicles in front of him by following too closely, according to police.
After police attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Elam sped up and failed to yield immediately “in attempt to evade detectives,” police said. Once Elam pulled over, police detected a strong odor of freshly burning marijuana and a big cloud of smoke emitting from inside the vehicle.
A search revealed a Gucci book bag on the floor of the driver’s side that included 126.2 grams of marijuana, six oxycodone pills weighing 3.1 grams, $947, a Rolex, a men’s necklace with white stones and a men’s bracelet with white stones.
One of Elam’s passengers, Calvin Stewart, possessed a loaded semi-automatic pistol in his waistband, and told the cops he did not have a permit to carry a concealed weapon.
Police said they were patrolling that neighborhood because of recent robberies and burglaries in the area.
The 32nd overall pick in the draft four years ago, Elam is scheduled to become a free agent next month. The Ravens declined to pick up his fifth-year option a year ago.
“We are aware of the arrest of Matt Elam,” the Ravens said in a statement. “Matt is not in our plans for the 2017 Ravens.”
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league was looking into the incident.
This arrests marks Elam’s second for substance-related incidents. In October 2015, he was suspended for one game for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He had self-reported the violation, team officials said at the time.
According to ESPN.com, Elam has been one of the most disappointing first-round picks in Ravens history. He was benched from the starting lineup in the middle of the 2014 season after struggling to cover receivers deep and missing tackles. Elam played on special teams last season after being designated to return off injured reserve.
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