Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield arrested, charged with public drunkenness and fleeing

Police arrested Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield this weekend in Washington County, Arkansas, according to a filing by the county sheriff’s office.

Mayfield was booked Saturday morning and faces four listed charges: public intoxication, disorderly conduct, fleeing, and resisting arrest.

It appears Mayfield is being charged with a felony for fleeing, which can be a misdemeanor in Arkansas if it does not involve a vehicle or injuries.

The sheriff’s office lists a hearing for Mayfield on Monday morning. He’s facing each of these charges in Fayetteville District Court, in Northwest Arkansas.

ESPN obtained a preliminary police report, which says Mayfield had trouble walking down steps, had slurred speech, and was “covered in food on the front of his clothing.”

Jake Trotter writes:

According to the preliminary police report obtained by ESPN.com, a police officer was flagged down to take an assault and battery report about 2:29 a.m. Saturday. The person who flagged the officer was yelling at Mayfield, who told the officer he had been trying to break up an altercation. The officer asked Mayfield to stay so that he could take his statement, at which point Mayfield began “yelling profanities and causing a scene,” according to the report.

Mayfield is slated to play his senior season at Oklahoma this year. Last year, Mayfield posted the best passer rating by a qualifying QB in FBS history, and he led the Sooners back from a 1-2 start to win the Big 12 and later the Sugar Bowl.

He’s considered a first-tier Heisman Trophy contender for the 2017 season, after he was a finalist in 2016. He’s thrown 76 touchdown passes in the last two seasons, during which Oklahoma is 22-4 under his leadership.

Mayfield started his career as a walk-on at Texas Tech. He played there in 2013, had a rocky split with the Red Raiders, and landed at Oklahoma, where he got a scholarship and has emerged as one of the country’s best quarterbacks.