Ozuna was pulled over in his 2021 Mercedes-Benz SUV with Florida tags shortly after 3:30 a.m., according to the incident report. A police officer on patrol was driving west on Beaver Ruin Road near Alston Trace when the Mercedes passed him heading in the other direction “at a high rate of speed,” the report said. The officer wrote that he also saw the Mercedes cross the center line and into the eastbound lanes.
Although the speed limit on that stretch of road was 35 mph, according to the report, the officer accelerated to nearly 90 mph to catch up with the Mercedes. Ozuna was not cited for speeding.
The officer stopped the Mercedes, which pulled into a shopping center at 2077 Beaver Ruin Road, according to the report. The officer wrote that he asked Ozuna what he was doing in Norcross, and the outfielder replied, “The party.” Ozuna later told the officer he was going to a nearby after-hours club. Another man was in the passenger seat of Ozuna’s car, but was not identified.
The report said that when Ozuna got out of the car to talk to the officer, he said, “If I’m drunk, if I can’t drive, I like that.” Ozuna then mimicked handing his car keys to the officer.
The officer had Ozuna perform all three standard field sobriety tests and noted mixed results for the Braves player, according to the report. When the officer asked Ozuna to submit to a breathalyzer test, Ozuna refused.
“I can’t do this. If you want to take me to jail, take me to jail because I can’t do it,” Ozuna told the officer, according to the report. At that point, the officer took Ozuna into custody.
The incident comes 15 months after Ozuna was arrested in connection with a domestic assault at his Sandy Springs home. He was accused of strangling his wife, Genesis, during an argument and throwing her against a wall before hitting her with the cast covering her broken fingers.
exploreBraves’ Marcell Ozuna accused of choking and beating woman
Ozuna was initially charged with felony aggravated assault, but the charges were later reduced to assault and simple assault with family violence enhancements. As a first offender, Ozuna agreed to enter the pretrial diversion program.
Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna leaves the field after appearing for the final out against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher David Robertson (right) who celebrates a 3-1 win with catcher JT Realmuto and Rhys Hoskins (far left) during the ninth inning of an MLB baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Atlanta.
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna leaves the field after appearing for the final out against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher David Robertson (right) who celebrates a 3-1 win with catcher JT Realmuto and Rhys Hoskins (far left) during the ninth inning of an MLB baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Atlanta.
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
Major League Baseball placed Ozuna on administrative leave for the 2021 season while the league investigated. Ozuna was retroactively suspended for 20 games without pay.
Ozuna apologized to teammates and fans in spring training in March.
“My fans, I’m going to give you my best,” Ozuna said, “and I’m going to be a better person, and I’m sorry.”
Ozuna last appeared with the Braves on Sunday in their series against the Miami Marlins. He is batting .214 and has 20 home runs on the season.
NOTE: Please check back to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
Writer Alexis Stevens contributed to this article.