In trouble again: Former Buffalo Bills lineman Richie Incognito, 35, was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Monday for allegedly causing a disturbance at a funeral home
Free agent Richie Incognito was arrested on Monday for allegedly threatening employees at an Arizona mortuary where he was arranging his father’s funeral.
According to NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk, Incognito, 35, allegedly created a disturbance by ‘acting erratically and making the employees feel incredibly uncomfortable.’
The report says the former Buffalo Bills lineman also allegedly made a gun gesture toward an employee at Messinger Pinnacle Peak Mortuary in Scottsdale, Arizona, and said he had guns in his Ford Raptor, which proved to be true. The weapons were later seized by police.
Incognito announced on Twitter on Sunday the passing of his father, retired Army Airborne Ranger Richard DeJasa.
He later tweeted: ‘I PRAY TO GOD THE MOST HOLY OF HOLY THAT HE IS IN HEAVEN WHEN I GET THERE. I know he is with you GOD! I will continue on… thank you lord! May I HAVE ANOTHER!!!!!!!!!’
Police were called to the funeral home on East Pinnacle Peak Road in Scottsdale at around 3.30pm on Monday after getting a 911 call reporting a disturbance.
Responding officers were told that the former NFL star yelled at staffers and damaged some property.
Incognito was arrested on misdemeanor charges of making threats and disorderly conduct.
Incognito was at the Messinger Pinnacle Peak Mortuary planning his father’s funeral when he allegedly caused a disturbance and threatened to shoot staffers
Incognito announced his father’s passing in a tweet sent out on Sunday
The lineman was released by the Buffalo Bills in May and has been a free agent ever since
Incognito has had a turbulent offseason. He reportedly took a paycut from the Buffalo Bills and then abruptly announced his retirement in April before changing his mind and being released by the Bills in May, as he planned to continue his career.
Two days after his release, Incognito was held for an involuntary mental evaluation in South Florida after a gym altercation in which police said he was in an ‘altered, paranoid state.’
According to the incident report, Incognito ‘believed ordinary citizens were government officials that were tracking and recording him,’ and allegedly threw a tennis ball and a dumbbell at another gym member at the upscale Life Time Gym in Boca Raton.
Incognito told police: ‘I’m running NSA class level 3 documents through my phone. I can’t have anybody in Bluetooth capability of me or taking pictures of me’, according to an arrest report.
Earlier this month, Incognito aimed profane tweets at Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer after the coach told reporters that the team had not been in touch with the guard, contrary to what Incognito had told TMZ Sports.
Incognito apologized to Zimmer for the outburst a day later.
The 11-year veteran has continued to voice his interest in returning to the NFL.
He started all 48 games for the Bills over the last three seasons, earning Pro Bowl nods each year.
He was placed on involuntary psychiatric hold in 2014 following a bullying scandal that rocked his previous team, the Miami Dolphins (pictured in 2013)
Incognito was previously put on involuntary psychiatric hold in 2014 after he was reportedly on the verge of a breakdown following the Jonathan Martin bullying scandal, according to TMZ.
The Miami Dolphins made national headlines off the field after it was revealed that players Incognito, Mike Pouncey, and John Jerry were intensely bullying Martin.
An NFL investigation revealed that the trio had been calling Martin offensive names, made repeated jokes about having sex with his sister, and made racial taunts at their Japanese trainer.
Incognito was suspended and eventually dropped from the Dolphins. He was out of the league for 18 months before the Bills signed him to a one-year contract.