Todd Helton, the former star first baseman for the Colorado Rockies, has pleaded guilty to DUI and received two days in jail related to a 2019 car accident. It is the second offense for Helton, who reportedly entered a substance abuse rehabilitation facility following his arrest.
Helton was arrested in March 2019 after he crashed his vehicle into a telephone pole in Tennessee. Police claim they found a cup that smelled of alcohol inside the car, and that Helton told them he had taken Ambien a few hours prior. Shortly afterward, Helton’s agent announced that the Rockies legend had entered a rehab facility.
Besides the brief jail sentence, the court imposed a yearlong suspension of Helton’s driver’s license. He also will be on probation for just short of one year and have to pay a $350 fine.
This is Helton’s second DUI charge. He pleaded guilty to driving while ability impaired (DWAI) in Colorado in 2013, when he was still playing for the Rockies. He played 17 years for the club, which retired his jersey in 2014.
Professional athletes are not the only ones that need legal help after a DUI arrest
Some people believe that only wealthy people like Helton can afford a high-quality criminal defense attorney when they get in trouble with the law. The truth is, everyone needs experienced legal defense after a DUI, even if you do not have any prior arrests or convictions. You should choose a lawyer who has handled multiple DUIs, knows the system thoroughly, and can explain everything you need to know.
If you are a young person who was just arrested for DUI, you should not let this incident turn into something that affects your long-term future.