‘White millionaire’ status is cited by Jim Irsay as justification for his 2014 imprisonment

Jim Irsay, the owner of the Indianapolis Colts, claimed that cop bias led to his 2014 arrest for driving under the influence because he is “a rich, white billionaire.”

Irsay talked about his arrest’s circumstances during a lengthy interview with HBO Sports. In September 2014, the seasoned Colts owner entered a guilty plea to a single misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated.

Upon being questioned about his plea of guilty, Irsay said, “Just to get it over with.”

In the Tuesday night interview, Irsay claimed, “I am a rich, white billionaire and I am discriminated against.” “If I’m just the average guy down the block, they’re not pulling me in, of course not.”

Irsay was asked how he anticipated people would react to his claim.

Irsay remarked, “I don’t care what it sounds like.” “It’s the truth. … I could give a damn what people think how anything sounds or sounds like. The truth is the truth, and I know the truth.”

In March 2014, Irsay was pulled over by police in the Carmel, Indiana, suburb after he was observed driving slowly, stopping in the middle of the road, and not using a turn signal. He failed additional field sobriety tests, according to the officers, and had difficulty pronouncing the alphabet.

When asked if the arrest was a “low point” in his life, Irsay told HBO Sports that he had recently undergone hip surgery, which is why he failed the field sobriety tests.

He declared, “The arrest was wrong.” “I had just had hip surgery, and had been in the car for 45 minutes. And what — they asked me to walk the line? Are you kidding me? I can barely walk at all.”

HBO Sports questioned Irsay about his claim that his hip surgery was the reason he failed the sobriety tests, not because he was intoxicated.

He answered, “Yeah, I mean, I’m not saying that — it’s a fact.”

More than $29,000 in cash and a variety of prescription medicines were found by police in Irsay’s car. According to a toxicology report, Irsay’s system included the opioids hydrocodone and oxycodone as well as the anxiety medication alprazolam when he was taken into custody.

The Carmel Police Department expressed its regret to The Indianapolis Star in a statement on Tuesday, stating that it was “very sorry to hear” of Irsay’s claims of misconduct by the police.

Carmel Police Lt. D.J. Schoeff emailed The Indianapolis Star, saying, “We have a very professional agency consisting of officers that strive to protect our community with integrity and professionalism.”

Irsay, 64, has frequently opened up about his struggles with addiction in public. “Addiction and alcoholism is a fatal disease,” he said to HBO Sports.