Hines Ward arrested on DUI charges

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Smyrna resident Hines Ward was arrested on DUI charges early Saturday morning according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitition.

In a recent interview with Smyrna-Vinings Patch regarding his football career and recent success on the television show "Dancing With the Stars,'' Ward said that he has made Smyrna his NFL offseason home for the last dozen years.

“It’s a great area and close to everything for me,’’ Ward said. “The people in Smyrna have always been good to me.’’

DeKalb police told the newspaper that Ward was stopped about 2:30 a.m. after a DeKalb officer noticed Ward, in his Aston Martin, failing to maintain a lane and then hitting a curb.

Ward failed a field sobriety test, and refused to take a breathalyzer test. He told officers he been at a downtown club, and had had two drinks.

According to police, a passenger in Ward’s car had not been drinking, and he was allowed to drive the car instead of it being impounded.

Ward was released from Dekalb County Jail on $1,000 bond following his arrest overnight for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.

Ward is not only a two-time Super Bowl champion, his charisma and dancing skills won him the “Dancing With the Stars” trophy, in the spring.  He has nearly one million Facebook friends and just yesterday posted comments on his bad habit of texting and driving.

Ward’s attorney Andrew Nee released this statement Saturday afternoon:

“On July 9th Hines Ward was stopped by Dekalb Co. police for suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence. He cooperated fully with the police and truthfully answered all of their questions. We are currently in the process of ascertaining all the facts. From our preliminary investigation we can tell you that we are confident that the facts will show that Hines was NOT impaired by alcohol while driving. However, Hines is deeply saddened by this incident and apologizes to his fans and the Steelers organization for this distraction.”

• In other local public safety news, Smyrna Fire Chief Jason Lanyon said investigators still don’t know the cause of that killed a Smyrna woman and her two dogs.

Smyrna Fire Department responded to a 911 call from a neighbor about a house fire just after 2 a.m. on July 4. The house was located at 900 Pinehill Drive in Cheney Woods subdivision. Fire fighters were unable to save Mary Ann Johnson and her two dogs. The case is still under investigation.

“The fire probably originated in the back addition to the house, but we don’t know anything yet,” Lanyon said. “We might never know what caused it.”

• Friends and family of Derrick Gray Jr., the Smyrna man found dead last weekend off Windy Hill Road near Circle 75, laid him to rest today at Georgia Memorial Park.

Police have not released a possible motive for what is believed to be a murder and have no suspects in custody. Gray’s body was discovered on July 2 after a woman spotted one of his shoes on the sidewalk and found his body in a nearby wooded area. If anyone has information on the crime, call the Cobb County police Crimes Against Person Unit at 770-499-3945.

Gray, 22, was a recent newlywed. His wife Anisa is six months pregnant with their son. Although Gray was raised in Atlanta, he attended high school at Pennasauken High School in New Jersey. Several of his former teammates rented a van and made the 14-hour drive to attend the funeral. 

“It really hit close to home," friend Robert Darby-McNair told Philly.com. "Basically, he was like a brother to all of us who played football with him.”

- Adrianne Murchison contributed to this story.