Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps tweeted Sunday that he is taking a break from the sport to attend a treatment program after he was arrested for the second time on DUI charges in Maryland last week.
Mr. Phelps, the most-decorated Olympian of all time, was driving 84 mph in a 45 mph zone early Tuesday morning when he was pulled over in Baltimore. The athlete registered .14 percent on a blood-alcohol test, well exceeding Maryland’s .08 limit. He was also charged with excessive speed and crossing double lines on Interstate 95.
“The past few days have been extremely difficult,” Mr. Phelps tweeted to his 1.6 million followers Sunday morning. “I recognize that this is not my first lapse in judgment, and I am extremely disappointed with myself.”
“I’m going to take some time away to attend a program that will provide the help I need to better understand myself,” he continued. “Swimming is a major part of my life, but right now I need to focus my attention on me as an individual, and do the necessary work to learn from this experience and make better decisions in the future.”
Mr. Phelps previously pleaded guilty to a DUI charge and was ordered to serve 18 months probation in November 2004.
Five years later, a photograph of him smoking marijuana at a party surfaced, CNN reported.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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