Orlando City SC and Canadian striker Cyle Larin was arrested earlier this morning after he was stopped by police for driving in the wrong direction and later blew a .179 BAC on the breathalyzer which is over twice the legal limit of .08.
A report from the Orlando Sentinel said that an oncoming car stopped just short of being in a head-on collision with Larin and when asked how much he had to drink, kept changing his story after saying he had “two or three vodka Red Bulls.” And he and a female passenger said they had left a club in downtown Orlando.
Seeing the typical signs that someone had been drinking, and after failing the breathalyzer, police arrested Larin and went to Orange County jail with a $500 bond. Orlando City SC was playing Miami FC in a U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 match where the NASL team picked up a 3-1 upset. Larin was out of the lineup to rest for the upcoming weekend MLS game against Montreal.
Considering his reported state and driving the wrong way, it’s great that Larin was stopped by police before anything horrific happened. Driving the wrong way while drunk, it’s a wonder he didn’t hurt or kill himself or anyone else.
It would be insensitive to project how Larin’s absence affects the team but in terms of Larin’s MLS status, based on MLS players who had been arrested for DUI in the past, Larin will very likely be immediately suspended and would need to pass MLS’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health program before being able to participate in any team activity. One notable player who had to undergo the SABH program was Philadelphia Union striker CJ Sapong (DUI charge was eventually dropped) who spent three weeks at a California treatment center two years ago.
For Sapong, the program helped him gain a new perspective and he seems to be on the right track. We can only hope that the same happens to Larin for what he’s going through.
[Orlando Sentinel/Photo: Orlando City Jail]
