Ron Garretson NBA Ref Arrested for DUI ... Crashed Into Tree

5/31/2019 5:59 AM PDT

Breaking News

image

Ron Garretson[1] -- a longtime NBA referee -- was arrested for DUI in Arizona on Wednesday after officials say he crashed into a tree near the Lake Havasu City Police Dept. Station. 

Cops responded to calls about a man who slammed an orange Jeep Wrangler into a tree around 6:30 PM -- and when officers arrived at the scene, 60-year-old Garretson was covered in blood. 

According to the police report, Garretson initially claimed someone had hit his car -- but cops say the story didn't make sense. Cops also say he reeked of booze and Garretson admitted to having a beer and a shot at a nearby cigar bar before getting behind the wheel. 

Cops also say Garretson made it a point to say he's an NBA ref -- and insisted he's in great shape. 

Despite that, Garretson bombed field sobriety tests -- and blew a .19 on the breathalyzer, more than TWICE the legal limit. He was arrested at the scene and hauled to a nearby station where he was booked for extreme DUI. 

Garretson has been working in the NBA for 32 seasons -- working more than 1,900 regular season games. 

Story developing ... 

References

^ Ron Garretson(www.tmz.com)

Read more from our friends at TMZ