25-year-old San Francisco 49’ers linebacker Aldon Smith was arrested again on Thursday night in Santa Clara.
This is Smith’s third DUI arrest since entering the league as a first-round draft pick in 2011 and his fifth arrest overall in that same timespan. In addition to the DUI, Smith is accused of vandalism and hit and run. He was released early Friday morning on $26,000 bail.
Outside of the facility, Smith apologized to Niners fans and the team. He also said the truth will be revealed and that there was no DUI.
“I’m sorry for anybody I let down,” Smith said. “I need to speak, and I want everybody to understand that this wasn’t a DUI. The situation that I had could have been handled differently, and I apologize for everybody I did let down, and I apologize for how it all played out. As far as everything is concerned, it’ll work out how it’s supposed to work out.”
This past Tuesday, 49ers general manager Trent Baalke expressed interest in re-signing Smith.
“Aldon’s like any young player, he’s growing up, he’s maturing,” Baalke said. “You see that with a lot of these guys. Some of them get themselves in a few more situations that you wish they didn’t. If you asked them, I think they’d say the same thing. Really pleased with the way he’s handled things, the way he’s working both personally and professionally.”
#49er #AldonSmith looked somber leaving jail. He told me “it wasn’t a DUI…the truth will come out.” #KTVU pic.twitter.com/gi1IC65dYE
— Janine De la Vega (@JanineKTVU) August 7, 2015
The Niners started training camp last week. Thursday was their first night off since it began.
