Browns player arrested for DUI after crashing into restaurant

By Alastair Talbot and Alex Raskin

16:16 20 Jun 2024, updated 19:17 20 Jun 2024

A Cleveland Browns player has been arrested in Key West, Florida on both DUI and property damage charges after he crashed his SUV into a local restaurant, causing $300,000 worth of destruction.

Defensive lineman Lonnie Phelps, 23, was arrested by local police at 8:47pm at the Red Shoe Island Bistro on Wednesday, where his black Hyundai crashed into the trendy island hot spot.

Police say they found the SUV wedged into the restaurant and were called to be dispatched to the scene in reference to a traffic crash. 

According to a police report exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com, Phelps and his girlfriend, who was identified as Jaylese Burse, were uncooperative with officers, as they had to be identified by witnesses.

Police bodycam footage shows the NFL’er looking drunk and confused in regard to his whereabouts and the incident when first approached by police officers, as he told them ‘to do what [they] have to do]’ while putting his arms up in the air. He also told local police officers that was unsure whether his ID and credit cards were in the car or on him.

Phelps also consistently disobeyed orders given by police and talked over cops while being questioned, appearing to slur his words – a sign of being under the influence.

Click here to resize this module

Eventually, Phelps agreed to voluntary field sobriety tests but was rebellious on several occasions after complaining about the way they were carried out.

He was then placed into custody before being asked to sit in the back of a police squad car.

While riding with officers to the Monroe County Detention Center, Phelps would constantly complain about his arrest and that he just wanted to ‘be done’ with the whole incident.

‘Phelps talked about how thirsty he was,’ a police officer wrote in her report, adding: ‘How he did not know what I was going to do to him because females are the worst, asked me not to kill him, asked me how long it takes to bail out, how long I was the detective and informed me I was Russian.’

Phelps wasn’t cooperative at the detention center either, according to police, as he refused to take a breathalyzer.

He even urinated on himself while sitting on a chair at one point, according to the police report.

Phelps is now due in court on July 7. 

Phelps signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2023 after starring for the University of Kansas, despite not playing any regular season games in his rookie season.