Former Lions Cornerback Charged With DUI, Causing Wrong-Way Crash

Detroit MI

17 August, 2021

1:50 PM

Description

DETROIT, MI —Alex Brown, a cornerback who was cut by the Detroit Lions on Sunday, was arraigned Tuesday morning in 36th District Court and charged with driving while intoxicated and causing an early Sunday morning car crash that left two people injured, including his passenger, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said. The Lions later identified that passenger as their tight end Charlie Taumoepeau. Alexander Deonte Brown, 24, was charged with two counts of operating while under the influence causing serious injury and two counts of reckless driving causing serious injury. He was given a $50,000/10 percent bond and ordered to have no alcohol or drugs, given an alcohol tether and an ignition interlock device and ordered to surrender his passport, according to Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. A Probable Cause Conference in the case is scheduled for Aug. 26, and the Preliminary Examination is set for Sept. 9, prosecutors said. According to police reports, at 2:13 a.m. Sunday morning, Michigan State police were dispatched to a crash scene involving two cars at Southbound Interstate 75 near Interstate 375 in Detroit. Brown is alleged to have been one of the drivers, and he is being accused of being intoxicated and driving at a high rate of speed on the wrong side of the freeway and striking another car head on. A 27-year-old man in the other car suffered injuries to his legs, police said. Meanwhile, the 23-year-old passenger in the front seat of Brown's car -Taumoepeau - was trapped in the vehicle, and had to be removed by the jaws of life, according to police. The passenger (Taumoepeau) was placed in a cervical collar and on a backboard and transported to a local hospital, police said. On Sunday, the Lions waived Taumoepeau with a non-football injury designation. He was due to revert to the the reserve-non football injury list Tuesday if he went unclaimed by another team. On Monday, MLive reported that the Lions released a statement about the incident. "We are aware of the situation from Sunday morning involving Alex Brown," the statement read. "Alex was waived from the team Sunday afternoon and Charlie Taumoepeau is receiving proper medical care following injuries sustained from the incident. "Driving under the influence is a matter we take very seriously. We as an organization extend our thoughts and support to the victim and his family during his recovery." According to the Detroit Free Press, Taumoepeau's agent said his client had broken ribs and is expected to make a full recovery. Brown, from South Carolina State, and Taumoepeau, from Portland State, both were signed by the Lions after impressing coaches during rookie minicamp, MLive reported. According to ProFootballReference.com, Brown played three games on special teams for the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2019-20 season, including against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV, which Kansas City won 31-20. Both Brown and Taumoepeau played for the Lions in Friday's 16-15 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the exhibition season opener. Jeremy Reisman of PrideofDetroit.com said both Brown and Taumoepeau had an opportunity to make the Lions' final roster until the car accident.