TNA Champion Kurt Angle Arrested For DUI: Second Charge

TMZ.com is reporting the following:

"Wrestling legend Kurt Angle was arrested early this morning on charges of driving under the influence ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... Angle's car was spotted by another driver ... swerving between lanes on I-66. Angle was busted by Virginia State Troopers, who responded to the call, and taken to Warren County Jail.

He posted $2,000 bond and was released at 3:31 AM."

A number of TNA executives are "very concerned" regarding the arrest this weekend of the company's World Champion, Kurt Angle.

"This is the second time Kurt has been arrested for DUI while the TNA Champion," a company exec told WrestleZone this evening, "and after letting of Matt Hardy, we need to be consistent in our policies towards talent!"

We've been told the company also feels vulnerable to the media on this arrest because they recently brought back Jeff Hardy, who did not go to company-suggested rehab, and the fact TMZ picked up the story so quickly. "There's a definite spotlight on this arrest," the company exec told WrestleZone, "and the Carters have to be aware of how that plays to the business community and even to Spike TV and our global television network!"

More as this developing story continues to break.

TMZ.com is reporting the following:

"[Kurt] Angle's lawyer tells TMZ ... his client passed a breathalyzer test. The lawyer tells us, "We understand Kurt will be entering a plea of not guilty in response to any infractions and/or offenses."

Sources connected with Kurt tell TMZ ... cops are just trying to make an example of him.

The cops are mum, saying the case will be tried in court."

TMZ.com has posted yet another update to the developing story of TNA Impact Wrestling Champion Kurt Angle being arrested on DWI charges. The latest is as follows:

"Former WWE superstar Kurt Angle was pretty damn calm for a guy who claims he was wrongly arrested for drunk driving over the weekend -- telling photogs at LAX, "Of course" he'll fight the case.

As TMZ first reported, the TNA Wrestling champ was arrested for DWI in Virginia on Sunday -- but his attorney is adamant the wrestler was NOT DRUNK ... and actually PASSED a breathalyzer test."

Source: The Wrestling Globe Newsletter

The following is a statement from Kurt Angle issued to Wrestling Globe this afternoon regarding the events of September 4, 2011 in Warren County, Virginia:

"Recently, there has been a lot of attention related to the incident which occurred Saturday night in Virginia. I was returning from an iMPACT Wrestling show in an unfamiliar place, late at night and was trying to find the exit for my hotel.

I did not believe my driving behavior was reckless or otherwise improper. Apparently law enforcement may have believed otherwise and pulled me over.

I fully cooperated with the officer who clearly recognized me while performing his standard procedures. Subsequent to the stop, I was asked to submit to a breathalyzer test and passed.

I do not believe that I broke any laws and will be entering a plea of not guilty in response to any pending charges. I hope that we can now focus on more important matters and move forward."

Mr. Angle’s attorneys, C. Todd Gilbert and Frank Smith added, "Our client’s blood alcohol level was negligible and was well below the legal limit in Virginia. We will wait to see if the state even wants to go forward in light of this evidence."

TMZ.com has posted an update to the Kurt Angle DWI arrest story, this time providing a document which reveals that Angle's blood alcohol level at the time of his arrest was a 0.06, and the legal limit is 0.08. The article notes,

"Wrestling superstar Kurt Angle says his blood alcohol level was WAY under the legal limit when he was arrested for drunk driving this weekend ... and now TMZ has a police document that seems to back up his story.

We've obtained the Certificate of Blood Alcohol Analysis ... issued by the State of Virginia ... which shows Kurt's B.A.C. was .06 at the time of his arrest. The legal limit in VA is .08."

NVDaily.com is reporting that the information Kurt Angle and his attorneys previously reported, which appears to be the information sent to TMZ, showing that Angle had registered a blood alcohol level of 0.06, was in fact the result of a breathalyzer Angle took at Police Headquarters, and not at the scene of the arrest.

According to the report, Angle actually blew a 0.091 blood alcohol level, which is above the 0.08 legal limit in the state of Virginia, therefore making Angle legally drunk at the time of arrest.

Additionally, the story notes that Angle failed several field sobriety tests upon arrest. "The wrestler's first test, conducted at the scene of the traffic stop near Linden, came back above the legal limit of 0.08," notes the story. "On a second test at the Front Royal police headquarters Sunday morning, Angle blew a 0.06, according to state police."