Orlando City striker Cyle Larin arrested for DUI
Cyle Larin was arrested and charged with DUI after avoiding a head-on collision in Orlando early on Thursday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
According to the police report, Larin was observed driving the wrong way on a four-lane, two-way road at around 2:30 a.m., at which time the observing officer turned on his sirens. Larin then stopped his white Cadillac in the lane he was driving in, while in front of both cars an oncoming Mercedes was forced to stop in order to avoid hitting Larin's car head-on.
According to the report, Larin told police during the traffic stop that "he was not familiar with the area and was not from around here." He exhibited slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and an "obvious" odor of alcoholic beverage on his person. When asked how many alcoholic beverages he had consumed, Larin first denied that he had any at all. Asked again later, Larin replied that he had two-to-three vodka Red Bulls.
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Larin later blew a .179 and .182 on consecutive breathalyzer tests. The legal limit for DUI in Florida is .08. He was transferred to the Orange County Jail on $500 bond.
With the arrest, Larin joins an ignominious list of MLS players arrested for DUI in recent years, including the Portland Timbers' Jake Gleeson and Liam Ridgewell last fall, and Philadelphia Union striker C.J. Sapong in 2015 (though Sapong was later found not guilty of the charge).
Larin, 22, has been a star striker for Orlando City since the club drafted him with the first overall pick of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. The Canadian has scored 39 goals in 68 league appearances with the Lions, including eight in 15 games this season. Larin was not named to the Orlando City squad as it lost 3–1 to Miami FC in the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night, before he was arrested.
[Update, 4:06 p.m.]: In a statement, Major League Soccer said that Larin will undergo an assessment by MLS’ Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health (“SABH”) Program doctors, and that he will be ineligible to participate in team activities until that assessment is completed and the league completes its own investigation.
Orlando City also released a statement simultaneously, saying the club is "very disappointed in Cyle Larin’s actions that resulted in these charges and does not take this situation lightly. We are working with local authorities, Major League Soccer and Cyle to take appropriate action in line with league protocol."
