Vikings backup defensive back Jayron Kearse was pulled over early Sunday on a Minneapolis freeway while drunk and with a loaded gun in his vehicle, according to authorities.
Kearse, 25, was booked into the Hennepin County jail shortly before 5:30 a.m. by the State Patrol. He posted bond of $6,000 ahead of possible charges of drunken driving and possessing a gun in public without a permit and was released about 2:20 p.m.
According to the State Patrol:
Kearse drove around a construction barricade onto a closed section of eastbound Interstate 94 at Cedar Avenue, prompting a state trooper to pull him over shortly before 4 a.m.
The trooper "observed signs of alcohol impairment" and determined his blood alcohol content was at 0.10%, above the legal limit, a statement from the patrol read.
A loaded gun was found in the vehicle, the patrol statement added. Kearse was compliant during the stop, said Patrol Lt. Gordon Shank.
In a statement released late Sunday morning, the team said, "We are aware of Jayron's arrest and are gathering additional information at this time."
Kearse is in his fourth NFL season. The Vikings chose him in the seventh round of the 2016 draft, after he had been projected to be taken much higher and skipped his senior season with Clemson.
