Former NBA star Tywon Lawson was arrested in Castle Rock, Colorado , on July 16. The University of North Carolina alumnus is accused of stealing Tito's vodka and using racial slurs during a confrontation with police.
The $34 Tito's vodka theft in Castle Rock
The incident began when Lawson allegedly took a bottle of Tito's vodka from a local liquor store. As reported by the source, the store owner witnessed Lawson consuming a portion of the alcohol outside the establishment before he proceeded to a nearby restaurant. once at the restaurant, Lawson reportedly placed the bottle near a fire pit and later attempted to sit at the bar with the stolen item in his possession.
The store owner expressed significant concern during the incident, noting that Lawson appeared to be stumbling, which suggested potential intoxication. while a friend was briefly detained for holding the bottle, authorities eventually released the individual after determining they had no involvement in the theft.
A decade of legal issues from UNC to Madrid
This latest arrest in Colorado marks the seventh time Tywon Lawson has been taken into custody ,highlighting a long-standing pattern of legal volatility. his history of misconduct includes a 2008 arrest while at the University of North Carolina for driving after drinking, as well as two separate DUI arrests in 2015 in both Denver and Los Angeles.
Lawson's legal troubles have also followed him internationally. in 2020, he was banned from the Chinese Basketball Association for posting comments deemed inappropriate by league officials. Furthermore, the report states that Lawson was involved in an altercation at an airport restaurant in Madrid in 2022, an incident that led to his removal from a flight.
Racial slurs and glass-kicking in Colorado custody
Lawson's interaction with law enforcement in Castle Rock escalated into a verbal confronntation. According to the report, when police arrived at the restaurant to confront him, Lawson allegedly became hostile and directed racial slurs at an officer, specifically calling them a "white bitch."
The reported misconduct continued even after Lawson was placed under arrest. Following his detention, Lawson allegedly kicked the glass wall of his holding cell and spit on the floor, according to the details provided in the legal documentation.
Was Lawson's intoxication level officially measured?
While the source details the store owner's observation that Lawson appeared to be stumbling, it remains unclear if the Castle Rock police administered a formal sobriety test to confirm his level of impairment. Additionally, while the report notes Lawson's verbal hostility, it does not specify if any additional charges beyond theft under $300 and shoplifting will be filed as the case proceeds.
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