Bears wide receiver Byron Pringle was arrested in Florida on Saturday and charged with reckless driving and driving while his license was suspended, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report obtained by the Chicago Tribune.
Pringle, 28, was pulled over in Wesley Chapel, Fla. after an officer observed a cloud of smoke and tire marks on the roadway “consistent with a vehicle performing a donut”, according to the arrest report. He was driving an orange 2016 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat with an adult passenger in the front seat and a male juvenile in the back. A subsequent check on Pringle’s license revealed it was suspended in February for “financial responsibility,” the report said.
According to the report, Pringle then ignored verbal commands to exit the vehicle before becoming “verbally confrontational” with the officer. He was arrested at approximately 6:15 p.m. on Saturday evening and was transported to the Pasco County Jail “without further incident.” The two charges he faces are misdemeanors.
TMZ first reported the news of Pringle’s arrest.
The Bears signed Pringle to a one-year, $6 million contract with $4 million guaranteed in March. He was seen at Chicago’s voluntary minicamp last week alongside new coach Matt Eberflus.
Before making way for the Windy City, Pringle spent his first four NFL seasons in Kansas City. He played in 46 games during his tenure with the Chiefs, making 67 catches for 898 yards and seven touchdowns.
