Jeff Hardy Police Video from Arrest Released by TMZ; Officers Draw Guns on AEW Star
June 14, 2022
Prior to his arrest Monday morning in Volusia County, Florida, AEW star Jeff Hardy had guns drawn on him by the Florida Highway Patrol.
As seen in video released by TMZ Sports, police officers drew their guns on Hardy when he refused to comply with demands after getting pulled over. They eventually holstered their guns when Hardy responded to orders and got out of his vehicle.
Hardy was arrested on three charges, including felony DUI, as police documents show that a Breathalyzer test yielded blood-alcohol levels of .291 and a .294—more than three times the legal limit in Florida.
Hardy was released from jail on bond Monday night and is scheduled to appear in front of a judge Tuesday.
Per TMZ, video also shows the 44-year-old Hardy mumbling and unable to complete field sobriety tests due to being unsteady on his feet.
Hardy seemed to admit to the officers that he had consumed shots of Fireball before getting behind the wheel as well.
On the Volusia County Corrections website, Hardy is listed as having been charged with driving with a suspended, canceled or revoked license, violation of restrictions placed on a driver's license and committing a third drug- or alcohol-related DUI offense within 10 years.
According to Marc Middleton of WrestlingHeadlines.com, the first two charges are second-degree misdemeanors, while the DUI is a third-degree felony.
TMZ previously reported that Hardy was arrested for DWI in March 2018, public intoxication in July 2019 and DWI again in October 2019, all while he was under contract with WWE.
WWE released Hardy in December after he exhibited strange behavior by walking out in the midst of a six-man tag team match at a house show.
It was reported by multiple outlets that Hardy was released after refusing to go to rehab, and his brother Matt Hardy later confirmed that as fact. Matt also said at the time that neither Jeff nor himself felt Jeff needed rehab.
Matt tweeted the following on Tuesday in reference to his younger brother's arrest:
MATT HARDY @MATTHARDYBRANDIt was disheartening to hear the news about my brother yesterday. Recovery isn’t a linear process & I’ll continue doing whatever I can to help my brother be healthy. Being healthy & well is the most important thing for Jeff, his wife, his children & our family at this time.
AEW president Tony Khan also released a statement on Jeff's arrest, noting that he has been suspended without pay and can only return to AEW once he completes a treatment program:
Jeff, who was a three-time world champion and nine-time tag team champion during his three stints in WWE, joined Matt in AEW in March when he saved his brother from an attack by Andrade El Idolo and his other former stablemates.
That led to Jeff and Matt teaming up, including making their AEW pay-per-view debut as a team at Double or Nothing last month, beating The Young Bucks.
The Hardys had been scheduled to face Jurassic Express and The Young Bucks in a three-way ladder match for the AEW World Tag Team Championships on Wednesday's episode of Dynamite, but AEW has ceased advertising the match, suggesting that it has been canceled.