Steelers CB Justin Layne Arrested & Charged For Felony

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Justin Layne was arrested early Friday morning.

According to Willoughby Hill Police, Layne, 23, was arrested on multiple charges near his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Layne is charged with speeding, driving with a suspended license and improper handling of a firearm.

Willoughby police Chief Matt Naegele said Layne was pulled over on Interstate 90 for driving 89 mph in a 60 mph zone. Naegele said that Layne had an outstanding warrant for his arrest on a traffic violation for which he did not appear. The police chief said that during the stop it was discovered that the cornerback had a suspended license. Marijuana was also found in the dodge charger he was driving, but no drug charges were filed. Naegele said police spotted a 9 mm Glock handgun in the center console.

Two other passengers were in the car along with the Steelers cornerback. Following police interviews with all three individuals, Layne was the one charged with a fourth-degree felony for improper handling of a firearm. The two passengers were not charged for anything.

Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten said the team is aware of the incident and is still gathering information. Lauten said that Pittsburgh will not provide any further comments at this time.

The cornerback was drafted in the third round of the 2019 draft by Pittsburgh. Last season, the cornerback played in all 16 games but mostly on special teams. Layne has 261 snaps on special teams and 117 on defense. In 26 career games, the cornerback has recorded 25 tackles. Next season, Layne could play a bigger role on the team since the Steelers lost two of their top four cornerbacks. 

Article by Allan Perez