Former Colorado Rockies 1st Baseman Todd Helton Cited For DUI After Crash
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (CBS4)- Former Colorado Rockies player Todd Helton is in a residential treatment program after he was cited in a DUI-related crash in Tennessee. The Rockies first basemen was also arrested for DUI in Thornton in February 2013.
According to the Knox County Sheriff's Office, Helton was driving his 2019 Ford F-150 on March 18 when he struck a telephone pole. Helton told deputies he had taken Ambien, a prescription sleep aid, prior to driving the vehicle. Deputies spotted a plastic cup that smelled of alcohol inside the vehicle.
He was not taken into custody but issued a misdemeanor citation.
Stephen Ross Johnson, Helton's attorney, says he required emergency medical care after the crash. He was not seriously injured.
The statement reads, "Todd is currently in a residential treatment program outside of East Tennessee, receiving the care he needs. He realizes there are parts of his behavior that need to change, and he is focused on doing just that. While there has not been a final court decision about his citation, Todd is still taking action."
In 2013, Helton was observed driving his black Ford pickup erratically in the 13500 block of Colorado Boulevard after 2 a.m. He was taken into custody by Thornton police at a nearby Conoco gas station.
During that arrest, officers said they smelled a strong odor of an unknown alcoholic beverage coming from Helton, that he was unsteady on his feet and his eyes were bloodshot. Helton told officers he was getting his truck washed but officers said he was hard to understand and his speech was slurred. Officers said he also had his wallet, chewing tobacco and lottery tickets in his hand.
When officers asked for his driver's license, Helton searched inside the pickup on both the driver's side and passenger side before officers asked if his ID was in the wallet on the driver's side seat. He eventually handed officers his ID which confirmed he was Helton.
Helton retired from the Colorado Rockies after the 2013 season. Helton is a career .317 hitter and has 367 home runs, 1,397 RBIs, 1,394 runs, a .415 on-base percentage and a .539 slugging percentage in 2,235 career games. He was an All-Star from 2000 to 2004 and ended his career as the Rockies' leader in games, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, runs and walks.
He is the only player in Rockies history to have his number retired.
Helton and former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning are good friends after playing football together at the University of Tennessee in the 1990s.
Manning has credited Helton and the Rockies with helping him recover from a series of neck operations that led to his departure from Indianapolis by allowing him to work out at Coors Field.
