Bengals' Thurman Arrested on DUI Charge

CINCINNATI (AP) _ Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman was arrested early Monday on a drunken driving charge. <br/><br/>Thurman, already serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's

Monday, September 25th 2006, 9:47 am

By: News On 6

CINCINNATI (AP) _ Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman was arrested early Monday on a drunken driving charge.

Thurman, already serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, registered 0.18 percent on a blood-alcohol test _ more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent, according to the police arrest report.

Police said Thurman, who drove an SUV across a double-yellow line, was stopped about 3 a.m. near a sobriety checkpoint operated by police and the State Highway Patrol.

A second-round draft pick out of Georgia last year, Thurman led the Bengals in tackles and had five interceptions as a rookie, helping Cincinnati reach the playoffs with its first winning record since 1990.

The arrest is ``certainly a concern since he recently was suspended, but this is an entirely new case,'' Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan said Monday.

Thurman has one game left on his suspension.

The Bengals (3-0) defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-20 on Sunday to stay in a first-place tie with Baltimore (3-0) in the AFC North.