It didn't take long for the Cleveland Browns to say goodbye to defensive end Lonnie Phelps. Less than 24 hours after his arrest, in fact.
Phelps spent last season on the Browns' practice squad, so we're not exactly talking Myles Garrett here. So after Phelps was arrested for crashing his SUV into a high-end restaurant in Key West, Fla., and was arrested for driving while impaired ... well, the Browns wanted no part of it. So they cut him loose.
Phelps, 23, was charged with drunken driving and damaging property at the Red Shoe Island Bistro — considered a high-end restaurant in Key West. Police said he refused a breath test.
A female passenger was reportedly in the vehicle and both appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, police said.
Fortunately, nobody was hurt.
"Joseph Schroeder, the building's owner, estimated the damage at $300,000," Cleveland.com wrote. "He told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer that an outdoor lounge was closed Wednesday night. Had it been opened, he said, several people could have been seriously injured or killed. He said the front end of the SUV crashed into the restaurant after the vehicle drove over a sidewalk and missed a palm tree."
Phelps did not appear in an NFL game.
Cleveland.com added that police said "Phelps appeared agitated with officers throughout attempts to interview him. He turned away from them during a portion of an interview, saying he was afraid he would be shot.
A police officer stated in the report: "I asked Phelps where he was driving from (before the crash), and he said, 'Right in front of it.' I re-asked the question four times in different ways, and Phelps always said, 'Right in front of it.'"
Phelps reportedly asked an officer what he crashed into, allegedly not realizing it was a restaurant.
