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TONY KHAN ISSUES STATEMENT ON JEFF HARDY'S ARREST, STATUS GOING FORWARD

AEW President Tony Khan issued the following:

Jeff Hardy was arrested at 12:45 AM yesterday, just hours after a musical performance and autograph signing at a Dave & Buster’s location in Orlando, Florida.  Police pulled Hardy over after receiving four separate 911 calls about a car driving erratically on 1-95.  He has been charged with DUI (Alcohol or Drugs), third offense within ten years, driving while license canceled/suspended/revoked and violation of restrictions placed on driver's license.  The primary charge would be a felony under Florida law, punishable up to five years' imprisonment should Hardy be convicted.  

The Florida Highway Patrol other in the  arrest report that Hardy was merging from I-4 onto northbound I-95 in a Dodge Charger that was “traveling significantly under the speed limit, weaving across travel lanes and running off the shoulder of the roadway."

The arrest report stated that Hardy, 44, was driving a white Dodge Charger and was "swerving all over the roadway, failing to maintain (his) lane, and running off the roadway in the area.”

The FHP tried to pull over Hardy, who initially did not respond, but finally pulled over.  When Troopers approached Hardy, he was reaching into a backpack and was told to remove his hands.  

“I issued loud verbal commands for the driver to take his hands out of the bag to which he did not respond,” Trooper Zach Steiner wrote in the report. “I proceeded to slap the passenger window to gain his attention which was also unsuccessful. The driver appeared to be in a stupor and confused.” 

Hardy had issues placing the car in park, rolling it forward.  He then slammed on the brakes and finally put the car in park

The arrest report described Hardy as being "unsteady on his feet, displayed orbital sway, reeked of the odor of an alcoholic beverage, and was confused.”

TMZ released footage of Hardy's arrest from The Florida Highway Patrol, with the footage showing that at one point, Hardy had guns drawn on him by multiple Troopers when he initially didn't comply after being pulled over.  During the seven minute video, Hardy stated that he had taken several double shots of Fireball and is scheduled for a brain scan due to head trauma from wrestling. 

Hardy agreed to a breathalyzer after undergoing a field sobriety test.  The first test registered a 0.294, almost more than three and a half times the legal limit of 0.08.  A second breathalyzer test brought a result of 0.291.   Hardy told the officers that he had been drinking earlier.  After the breathalyzer results, Hardy was placed under arrest.

Hardy signed with AEW in March of this year when his 90-day non-compete with WWE expired after WWE released him.  Hardy had been sent home by WWE after a December 2021 live event in Edinburg, Texas where he teamed with Xavier Woods and Drew McIntye against The Bloodline.  

Hardy spent most of that match inside the ring, being worked over by Roman Reigns and The Usos and apparently becoming more sluggish as the match continued.    Once he gave a hot tag to McIntyre, Hardy disappeared into the crowd (followed by security) and didn't return to the ring for the post-match celebration with his partners.    

WWE requested Hardy place himself in rehab, which he turned down, leading to his release days later.    It should be noted that Hardy was drug tested by WWE in the wake of the incident and passed those tests.  WWE later attempted to bring Hardy back into the fold by offering him an induction into the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame class, which Hardy turned down, instead waiting out his non-compete and signing with AEW, setting the stage for a Hardy Boys tag team reunion with brother Matt Hardy that was obviously very profitable on the independent scene as well.

Hardy’s health had been a discussion online after a recent Ladder Match against the Young Bucks at the 2022 AEW Double or Nothing PPV with Matt Hardy later revealing Jeff had his bell rung early in the bout.  

Hardy was released from Volusia County Jail in Florida yesterday afternoon after posting a $3,500 bond.  He initially had a court hearing slated for today, but that was later canceled.

Jeff Hardy had been previously arrested for a previous DUI-related offense in March 2018 and October 2019 in North Carolina, so those would appear to be the previous DUIs referenced as his primary charge.  In July 2019, Hardy was arrested in South Carolina for public intoxication and impairment.

 

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