Atlanta Braves Pitcher Derek Lowe Arrested for Driving Under The Influence

According to reports, the 37-year-old Atlanta Braves pitcher had been charged with DUI late Thursday night. Lowe had been stopped by state patrol around 10:00 PM in Atlanta, Georgia due to negligent driving and improper lane change. The patrol officer continued to review Lowe and demanded for a field sobriety test to be taken. Surprisingly, Derek Lowe declined the request, prompting the patrol officer to take further action and arrest the MLB hurler.

After the incident, Derek Lowe posted bail and expressed remorse releasing the below statements:

“I would like to apologize to my family, teammates, fans and the Braves organization for the attention arising from this matter. However, I am hopeful that this incident will not be a distraction to the Braves organization while we are focused on returning to the playoffs. This is a legal matter and I anticipate this case can promptly be resolved within the court system.”

The Atlanta Braves current record is 13-13. Clearly, the team is by no means in great standing and this off-the-field issue certainly will not be of great help. Of course, everyone goes through his or her hardships, but there have been too many similar DUI cases around sports. From Jim Leyritz DUI situation to Braylon Edwards arrest for drunk driving, when are professional athletes finally going to realize that there are way smarter alternatives than driving while intoxicated? It seems that the DUI case has plagued athletes repeatedly and it needs to stop for the benefit of the sport and for the security of other human beings on the road.

Derek Lowe has never been an individual in the spotlight surrounded by bad decisions so it’s only fair to give him a fair shake. Let us hope that all athletes wake up and learn from the mistakes of their peers.

In order to become a professional athlete, the ability to make great decisions is an important requirement. Not driving when your drunk should be a no-brainer.