UCF Police Arrest Former Knights QB Kyle Israel for DUI
Beyond UCF, Crime, Football, News — By Staff on December 29, 2009 at 4:51 pmUPDATE 12/30:
KnightNews.com has obtained former UCF Knights star Quarterback Kyle Israel’s arrest affidavit, filled out by UCF police officer Christopher Holt.
The affidavit suggests UCF police are now hanging out off campus, pulling people over they suspect are driving under the influence. Before Israel was arrested, the officer wrote, he was “clearing a traffic stop on University Blvd. and Turbine Dr.,” which is the entrance to the plaza where Knight Library and Fubar are located.
UCF police Ofc. Holt first noticed Israel’s SUV, he wrote, because his headlights were off while he was driving down University Blvd. toward Alafaya Trail. Holt then followed Israel to that intersection, and wrote that Israel was driving erratically while approaching the intersection and then while turning left onto Alafaya Trail, so he pulled him over at Centaurus Drive and Alafaya Trail.
Holt’s affidavit suggests Israel put his windshield wiper on by mistake, thinking it was his headlights, because he was allegedly intoxicated.
Holt wrote that Israel told him he had been drinking at TD’s Sports Bar earlier in the night, and even possibly filled in as a bartender for a friend. However, Holt said Israel also initially told him he was coming from Science Drive, even though Science Drive didn’t intersect with University Blvd., where Holt first noticed him.
“Most of what Mr. Israel was saying seemed to not make any sense,” Holt wrote.
Holt had Israel perform several field sobriety tests after smelling alcohol on his breath and noticing his eyes were “extremely red and glassy.” Based on the tests, Holt brought Israel to the Orange County DUI Testing Center.
Israel initially refused to submit to the breathalyser test, but was apparently persuaded to do so by Holt, after “explaining the consequences for (Israel’s) different options multiple times,” according to the affidavit.
The affidavit states Israel blew twice. The first reading at 4:48 a.m. came in at .165, and the next reading, at 4:52 a.m., came in at .177. The legal limit in Florida is .08.
Israel was arrested and booked into the Orange County Jail shortly thereafter. Records show he bonded out shortly before noon.
KnightNews.com sent Israel a Facebook message seeking his side of the story, but he has not replied. UCF Police spokesman Cpl. James Roop also has, so far, declined to comment on this high-profile arrest. Click here to read the entire five page affidavit yourself.
KnightNews.com wants to know: Have you, or anyone you know, been pulled over by UCF police off campus lately? Are UCF police employing the same aggressive DUI enforcement tactics off campus that they have been reported to use on campus, such as “courtesy stops” around the same times the bars close? E-mail us at news@knightnews.com to share your story, or call our tip line at 407-5-tip-UCF to let us know.
ORIGINAL STORY
UCF police arrested former Knights star quarterback, Kyle Israel, Tuesday on driving under the influence charges in the university area, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Israel, who attended University High School before playing for UCF, led the Knights to a Conference USA Championship in 2007. He played professional football earlier this year in Germany, and came back to Orlando and worked as a commentator for Bright House Sports Network.
We are gathering more information on this developing story and are attempting to contact Israel for his side of the story.
UCF Police Spokesman Cpl. Jim Roop did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment.
Check back for updates. Click next page to see the police report filled out by UCF police officer Christopher Holt.
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11 Comments
Excuses Excuses…
Should anyone, including police officers, be allowed to carry guns because so many people are murdered by handguns? Not all people who drive after drinking casually are “drunk drivers” just as all people who carry guns are not “violent offenders”. And do not rely on a breath analysis machine’s results. Drink a lot of diet Coke and take the test… you may be legally impaired. As the sugar alcohols that are found in diet sodas can raise your alcohol concentration, just as the alcohol that is produced in your body naturally can cause some people to blow over the limit without ever taking a drink. That is why they are throwing out the tests… no test is reliable. Do some research on the matter before you find yourself in a position where you are a victim of the “civil” laws that you are defending.
UCFPD arrested me in 2001 for DUI. I was a graduate student coming back from checking a simulation in a lab on campus with my pregnant wife. I was given a field sobriety (which the judge viewed on video tape and dismissed as non-corroborating evidence as I passed “better than she would have”) and arrested. My vehicle was towed and my pregnant wife was left on the side of the road after being hit on by one of the officers and refused a ride to our house. They indicated in their report that she was not capable of driving due to impairment. I would say, before judging from reports that “honest officers” write, be concerned with your civil rights violations that are occurring. Whether Kyle is guilty or not-guilty of the charge should bear “innocent until proven guilty”. I still have to explain my “arrest” for DUI and the “arrest” regardless of conviction implies certain civil consequences with respect to future probable cause and arrests.
“overly aggressive”??? Can one be “overly aggressive” when enforcing DUI? Either the person is drunk and DUI or they are not. I am guessing those who think DUI enforcement is not important have not had a family member t-boned and killed by a drunk in a car.
Also, when it comes to DUI, it is my understanding that UCF Police can stop your car anywhere. Here is an idea….if you drink, don’t drive, get a sober friend to drive or spend 20 bucks on a cab.
Do you have any proof that UCF police violate rights…. I think not, but if they did, I wouldn’t drive drunk near UCF.
RE ucfstudent…this isn’t about Kyle and if he is a dipstick or if he is guilty this is about civil rights being violated and the UCFPD is notorious for doing just that.
ucfpd has always been pulling people over around campus not just on and it in their jurisdiction to do so. wheter you agree with this or not, the bottom line is if you’re not doing anything wrong why worry. A .177 or a .165 isn’t exactly having a few beers and going home, especially for a guy has size. oh and has it been confirmed whether or not he was wearing that hat with the big number 7 that he still wears everyday?
MAYBE THIS WILL MAKE KYLE ISRAEL REALIZE HE’S A LOSER TRYING TO RIDE OUT HIS HALF ASS CAREER OF HANDING THE BALL OFF TO KEVIN SMITH AND GET HIS FAT FACE OUT OF TD’S – GROW UP KID
For years UCFPD has been over aggressive in their pursuit of DUI arrests and in my opinion they are out of control with their questionable tactics of pulling people over to try and “get” DUI arrests. Hopefully while they cruise around east Orange County looking for someone to pull over a student isn’t getting mugged on campus. BTW If UCF is looking for some budget cuts I got a few in mind for the UCFPD.
I saw a guy get pulled over at The Edge one night by UCF police. A couple more UCF Police vehicles came and they performed a field sobriety test and arrested the guy. I was surprised to see UCF Police doing it, but apparently they have some radius around the campus, something like a mile or more, where they have jurisdiction. I’m glad to see them pulling drunks off the street and making the UCF area much more safe (with help from Orange County Sheriffs as well).