New Seahawks DE Aldon Smith Wanted in Louisiana For Battery Charge
The Seahawks just signed Aldon Smith last week, but an incident in Louisiana could bring his time with the team to a quick end.
Per Travers Mackrel of WDSU, the St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana issued a bulletin stating that Smith is wanted for second degree battery. The incident allegedly happened at the French Press Coffee House in Chalmette just two days after he signed with Seattle and Mackrel reported that the police department has video evidence.
The bulletin also indicates Smith was last seen driving a white Nissan and anyone with knowledge of Smith's whereabouts should contact the sheriff's department immediately.
While it remains unclear exactly what Smith did to warrant such allegations, the veteran defender could be down to his final strike after serving multiple suspensions in his career. Most recently, he remained suspended for four whole seasons from 2016 to 2019 due to substance abuse issues and a domestic violence incident.
Following the lengthy hiatus, Smith made an improbable comeback with the Cowboys last season. Starting all 16 games, he generated 5.0 sacks, 50 quarterback pressures, and a fumble returned for a touchdown.
This marks the second straight offseason one of Seattle's free agent signings became entangled in legal issues. Last May, cornerback Quinton Dunbar was arrested and charged for armed robbery, but the charges were eventually dropped.
The Seahawks stuck by Dunbar through his legal issues and he ultimately played in six games for the team before going on injured reserve. The organization may choose to do the same with Smith, though with his prior track record, it wouldn't be surprising if they cut bait quickly either with another suspension potentially looming.
The Seahawks did release a statement late on Monday morning, indicating Smith contacted them about the incident and they had "no further comment" at this time.
This remains a developing story and we will provide updates as they become available.
