UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich, the first-ever welterweight champion of the promotion, found himself in trouble with the law in Iowa on Thursday morning. Miletich was arrested for allegedly driving drunk after witnesses reported seeing him driving his truck in the wrong direction on a one-way street. The incident took place in Bettendorf, Iowa.
Key Takeaway
Pat Miletich, the UFC Hall of Famer, was arrested for drunk driving in Iowa after allegedly driving his truck the wrong way down a one-way street. This marks his third arrest related to drunk driving. Despite the arrest, Miletich is still scheduled to fight Mike Jackson at Caged Aggression on October 14.
Authorities received a call in the early hours of Thursday morning reporting a man driving against the flow of traffic on a one-way street. Miletich was then said to have crossed an embankment and parked at a nearby gas station. When the police arrived at the scene, they found Miletich asleep behind the wheel of his truck, which was still in gear.
Police woke Miletich up and he admitted to having been drinking wine, according to the incident report. The officers observed bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, unsteady movements, and a strong smell of alcohol. They proceeded to administer a field sobriety test, but Miletich refused to cooperate. He also declined to take the Breathalyzer test.
Given the evidence of Miletich’s alleged erratic driving and his behavior at the scene, he was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated (OWI), 3rd Offense, which is considered a class D felony in Iowa. The 57-year-old MMA legend was taken into custody at 6:16 AM and was later released after posting $5,000 bond at 8 AM.
This is not the first time Miletich has faced legal trouble related to drunk driving. The recent arrest marks his third incident, with prior arrests in 2019 and 2021. It is important to note that Miletich was preparing for his return to the MMA cage. He is scheduled to fight 38-year-old Mike Jackson (known for his fight against CM Punk) at Caged Aggression on October 14.
