Former NFL star Adrian Peterson was asleep in SUV before DWI arrest in Texas

SUGAR LAND, Texas (AP) — Former NFL running back Adrian Peterson was arrested on charges of drunk driving and illegally carrying a weapon after police found him asleep behind the wheel of his SUV at a gas station in suburban Houston, according to court records.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Sugar Land police found Peterson asleep around 9 a.m. Sunday while his vehicle was running and parked at a gas station. There was no one else in the car.

“I interviewed Mr. Peterson and noticed the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his body. I also observed that Mr. Peterson had bloodshot, glossy eyes and slurred speech,” the affidavit states. “I asked Mr. Peterson where he was from and he said he played poker in Houston.”

FILE – Former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson stands on the field before an NFL football game between the Vikings and Chicago Bears, Nov. 27, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn, File)

Peterson told the officer he didn't know where he was and was trying to get to his home in nearby Missouri City. According to the affidavit, Peterson told the officer that he had drunk two or three shots of vodka a few hours earlier.

“I asked Mr. Peterson, on a scale of 0 for complete sobriety to 10 for intoxicated to the point of blacking out, what rating he would give himself. Mr. Peterson stated that he received a 2,” the affidavit states.

The officer administered a field sobriety test to Peterson, who had to use his arms to balance and sway, according to the affidavit.

During a search of Peterson's SUV, the officer found a Glock handgun in the glove compartment.

It's the second DUI arrest in seven months for the 2012 NFL MVP and three-time league rushing champion.

Peterson was released from the Fort Bend County Jail on Monday after posting bail totaling $3,000.

Court records do not list an attorney who could speak on Peterson's behalf.

Peterson, 40, was a high school football star in East Texas and lived in the Houston area. He played for Oklahoma before spending the first 10 years of his NFL career with Minnesota, where he was drafted seventh overall in 2007.

Peterson was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Minneapolis in April after showing up at an NFL draft party for Vikings fans.