Ben Wallace Arrested, Facing Drunk Driving and Weapons Charges

Known for a long time as a gifted shot blocker, Ben Wallace, center of the Detroit Pistons, couldn't block the law on Saturday.

The fan favorite, amid the NBA lockout, is facing a 5-year felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon after police found an unloaded pistol in a backpack in his car as they arrested him on suspicion of drunken driving Saturday in Bloomfield Township.

Wallace, 37, is expected to appear Oct. 3 for a pre-examination conference in 48th District Court in Bloomfield Township, according to police. He has been arraigned on a 93-day misdemeanor charge of drunken driving and a 5-year felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon, police said, without specifying what day he appeared in court.

Magistrate Judith Holtz gave Wallace a $5,000 personal bond, and he was released to a family member after his arraignment.

Wallace was in a 2007 Cadillac Escalade at 3 a.m. when an officer spotted the SUV driving erratically northbound on Telegraph Road at Long Lake Road, according to the news release. Wallace went through roadside testing, then arrested him on suspicion of DUI.

Wallace took a breath test at the police station that registered over Michigan's legal limit of .08%, according to the news release. The department was not releasing specifics about the test results this morning.

Wallace, a four-time all-star who averages 2 blocked shots a season for his career, was an integral part of the Pistons' eastern conference domination in the middle of last decade, highlighted by a 2004 NBA title. He pulled in 22 rebounds in Detroit's game 5 clincher over the Los Angeles Lakers.