Police: DUI charge stands against Bucs player

PINELLAS PARK -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver David Boston will face a DUI charge after urinalysis test results were returned to the Pinellas Park Police Department, officials said today.

Police said they will not disclose details of the test results, but the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's office will pursue a misdemeanor DUI charge against Boston. Watch video of Boston's DUI stop.

"The result of the urinalysis will not be released by the Pinellas Park Police Department at this time as the case remains under active investigation and prosecution," police spokesman Sandy Forseth said.

Florida has a broad public records law that allows documents that are part of an active investigation to be withheld until investigation is completed. Generally speaking, however, police will release information when their investigation is concluded even if the state attorney becomes involved. Forseth conceded the situation is unusual.

"It's not common, but I think it depends on who's involved legally," Forseth said.

The decision to withhold information, he said, came after speaking with the state attorney's office.

"We have had consultation with them and what would be in the best interest of moving forward with this case and this is the determination we've made," Forseth said. "I think everything's pretty much been completed but the case has not been tried. The prosecution has not materialized yet. That's what the concern is."

The Buccaneers have been emphatic that Boston is innocent, but after practice Thursday, coach Jon Gruden said he was unable to comment.

"I don't have any information on that. Once we get information, we'll move on accordingly. We'll see for ourselves exactly what is going on with this case and we'll react, obviously, accordingly," Gruden said. "I'm just walking off the field. ... Right now, I'm not going to plead the Fifth here. I don't have any information at my fingertips to talk about. When I do, we'll have something to say."

Boston was arrested Aug. 23 after police say they found him asleep at the wheel of his Range Rover with the engine running at a major Pinellas Park intersection. Police awoke him and he said he was on his way from Orlando to Tampa International Airport and thought he was in Hillsborough County.

He also vehemently denied being under the influence of anything, and the Bucs have backed him. The team issued this statement two days after the arrest: "We have investigated the David Boston situation and feel that we have an understanding of the facts. At this time, we have seen no objective evidence to support the charges that were brought against him.''

Anne Lindberg, Times staff writer

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