Wayne Rooney arrested in December at Dulles Airport for public swearing, intoxication
DULLES, Va. (ABC7) — D.C. United forward Wayne Rooney, one of the biggest names in soccer, was arrested in December in at Dulles International Airport for public swearing and intoxication.
Rooney was arrested on Dec. 16 at an international arrivals gate at the airport by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police after they said he triggered a door alarm but did not breach airport security. He was booked into the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center to be held until sober before he was later released on his own recognizance.
According to court records, he paid a $25 fine Friday. The charge is a Class 4 misdemeanor.
United released a statement to ABC7 following the news reports about the arrest, which was not previously reported prior to Sunday.
"We are aware of news reports indicating that Wayne Rooney was arrested in December," the club wrote. "We understand the media's interest in this matter but believe this is a private matter for Wayne that D.C. United will handle internally. We have no further comment on the situation."
Rooney was likely returning from a short trip to Saudi Arabia at the time of his arrest, where he appears to have flown on a private jet. On Dec. 14, he posted on both his Twitter and Instagram accounts that he was flying to the Ad Diriyah E-Prix, a Formula E race in Ad Diriyah, a town located on the outskirts of Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh.
On Dec. 15, Rooney said he had an "unbelievable day at Riyadh Formula E Saudi Arabia Grand" and shared a photo of himself sitting inside a race car.
Rooney was previously arrested in September 2017 driving under the influence in Wilmslow, Cheshire, England. He pleaded guilty and received a two-year driving ban and paid a 170 fine, or $216.41. He was found to have been "almost three times" over the legal limit.
He later issued a public apology following that arrest.
Rooney, 33, joined United in late June, helping guide the club from the bottom of the standings to a playoff spot with 12 goals and six assists in 20 appearances. He is all-time leading scorer for England's national team and Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world, in the Premier League.
