Pennsylvania police believed former Mets star Lenny Dykstra had crack-cocaine or methamphetamine on him during a traffic stop that resulted in his arrest last Thursday, according to TMZ.
Dykstra, 62, sat in the passenger’s seat of a 2015 GMC Sierra when he opened the glove box during questioning to help confirm his identity to the officers.
The car had been stopped just after midnight on New Year’s Day for alleged motor vehicle violations.
The police allegedly noticed a “container holding suspected crack-cocaine/methamphetamine and a glass smoking device containing suspected drug residue,” per TMZ.
The officers reportedly did not field test the alleged narcotics, but they arrested him and he has since been charged with misdemeanor possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, per the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“During this investigation, the passenger was found to be in possession of narcotics and narcotic related equipment/paraphernalia,” the police report said, per the Inquirer. “Charges to be filed.”
Dykstra’s attorney, Matthew Blit, told TMZ that his client is innocent.
The Scranton resident has a preliminary hearing set for Feb. 3 in Pike County, per the Inquirer.
“We firmly assert that the alleged narcotics did not belong to Lenny, who is currently recovering from a serious stroke. Lenny was not knowingly in possession of or under the influence of any narcotics on his person and was not taken into custody at the scene,” Blit said to TMZ.
“The driver was arrested and taken into custody at the scene and accused of 17 counts, including being under the influence. Not Lenny. Attorney Tom Mincer and our team remain steadfast in our commitment to absolving Lenny of all possession charges.”
Dykstra has encountered many legal issues since his MLB career ended in 1996, having been arrested multiple times, including in 2018 for drug possession and making terroristic threats toward an Uber driver, and in 2011 on drug possession charges and grand theft auto.
He served jail time after pleading guilty to bankruptcy fraud and other charges in 2012, and has been accused of sexual misconduct on multiple occasions.
Dykstra spent his entire career with the Mets and Phillies, winning a championship with the 1986 Amazin’s and finishing second in the 1993 MVP voting with Philadelphia.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
