Video shows Lowe denied drinking, racing

ATLANTA -- Braves pitcher Derek Lowe argued with officers who pulled him over in a posh Atlanta neighborhood on speeding and DUI charges, repeatedly saying he was not drinking or racing.

"I'll be as honest as you want me to be: I wasn't racing," Lowe told the officers during the April 28 arrest, according to police video obtained Monday by The Associated Press from the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

The 37-year-old was charged with DUI and reckless driving after he declined a breath test, but the charges were dismissed in May by prosecutors who said they didn't have enough evidence to proceed.

He was pulled over by several officers who accused him of racing at more than 90 mph on a busy Atlanta street and said several times they smelled alcohol on his breath. Lowe repeatedly denied the allegations and said the odor may have come from his chewing tobacco.

"Who am I trying to race?" he said. "Why would I want to race anybody? I live two blocks from here."

At one point, an officer referred to a dash-cam video and said he caught the incident on tape.

"Quit trying to lie to me," the officer said. "Do you want to start telling the truth now or do you want to keep lying to me?"

Lowe responded: "I understand what you are saying, but there was no racing. I live two blocks from here."

The pitcher, who signed a $60 million four-year contract with team before the 2009 season, seemed reluctant to bring up his profession.

Lowe only did so after one of the officers said, "I don't know what you do for a living but don't tell me I don't know how to do my job."

Lowe answered: "I play baseball and once you say you play baseball, you're already guilty. I play for the Braves, so there you go."

The officers said in a police report they had no prior knowledge of Lowe's profession. They said Lowe seemed confused and argumentative, and noted that his face was red and flushed.

After the arrest, Lowe issued a public apology saying he hoped the arrest wouldn't be a distraction to the team.

The charges were dropped weeks later, and his defense attorneys said the allegations were unfounded.