ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) New Mexico forward Carlton Bragg Jr. was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and possession of under one ounce of marijuana early Sunday, hours after the Lobos beat Air Force.
The arrest comes nine days after Bragg, 24, was reinstated to the team following a three-game suspension while university officials investigated sexual misconduct allegations against him by another student. Bragg has not been charged in connection with that incident, which occurred in August, although the Bernalillo County district attorney’s office sent the case to the district attorney’s office in Alamogordo because of a conflict of interest.
Bragg, who is averaging 12.6 points and 10.3 rebounds in 15 games in his second season at New Mexico (15-3), was released from custody later Sunday.
”The UNM Athletic Department has been notified that there was an incident regarding senior Carlton Bragg Jr. early this morning,” the school said in a news release. ”The department is aware of the situation (and) is looking into it further. At this time, there will be no additional comments from anyone at UNM.”
According to a police report, Bragg passed through a sobriety checkpoint at 1:21 a.m. while driving a white BMW.
Officers saw that Bragg ”had bloodshot watery eyes and an odor of alcohol emanating from his facial area,” the report said. ”Carlton admitted drinking 2 glasses of wine between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.”
Bragg was put through field sobriety testing and ”signs of impairment were present during his performance of the sobriety tests,” after which he was arrested and a small amount of marijuana was discovered on his body, the report said.
Bragg later refused to take a breath-alcohol test, police said.
It was not known if he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
New Mexico is Bragg’s third school. He played at Kansas, where he was suspended after being arrested and charged with battery against a woman in 2016, although that charge was dropped and the woman who made the claims was later charged after prosecutors reviewed surveillance video.
He also attended Arizona State but was removed from the team in his first semester for violating an unspecified team rule.
Bragg had 11 points and seven rebounds Saturday night in the Lobos’ 84-78 victory over Air Force.
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