Former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo arrested on suspicion of OWI after Milwaukee traffic stop
Tony Romo was booked on a single count of operating while intoxicated after a July 23 traffic stop in Milwaukee; body-camera footage shows the encounter and his refusal to submit to a breath test.
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was arrested on July 23 in Milwaukee on suspicion of operating while intoxicated (OWI). Body-camera video released by NBC 5 shows Deputy R. Kaur stopping RomRom's SUV for unsafe passing and cutting across a marked lane. Romo told the officer he was traveling from a golf course to visit his grandparents and said he had consumed “zero” drinks.
"Because I’m coming from a golf course you think I’m drunk?" Romo asked the deputy.
The deputy noted Romo’s “red, glassy eyes” and the odor of alcohol, and reported finding small containers of alcohol in his bag. Romo repeatedly requested to speak with an attorney and declined to perform a breath test, citing legal advice.
"Oh no. We're not doing that. I've heard from multiple lawyers, 'Don't ever do that.' So, we’re not going to do that," Romo said.
After a series of field-sobriety tests that lasted more than 12 minutes, the deputy concluded the tests and placed Romo under arrest. A Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office report stated Romo “performed poorly” on the standardized tests. Court records indicate he received a citation for refusing the breath test, and the district attorney’s office classified the matter as a traffic violation rather than a criminal charge. A court appearance is scheduled for September 21.
Romo, who played for the Cowboys from 2004 to 2016 and now works as an NFL analyst for CBS Sports, has not commented publicly on the incident.