As has been the story over the past few years, former UFC champion BJ Penn once again made the news headlines for the wrong reasons. Per a Monday report by MMA Fighting, “The Prodigy” was arrested in Honoka’a, Hawaii on Saturday on suspicion of DUI. He was released hours later pending an investigation.
According to Hawaii County Police Department spokesperson Denise Laitinen, the arrest happened after officers responded to a reckless driving complaint. Unfortunately for Penn, it was all captured on video and you can see and hear him acting belligerently, including yelling obscenities and shouting the n-word.
MMA Junkie obtained more details on the incident.
Jay Penn of Hilo, also known as BJ Penn, was arrested Saturday, January 23, 2021, for operating a vehicle under the influence of intoxicants. About 4:51 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, Hawai‘i Police Department officers from the Hamakua district responded to a report of a reckless driver on a business property in Honoka’a.
Upon arriving on scene, police learned through witnesses that Penn had arrived at the business earlier in a gray Toyota pickup truck. Prior to police arrival, the 42-year-old was observed talking loudly towards employees and later drove off the property in a reckless manner.
While officers were at the scene speaking with the business employees about the incident, they observed Penn return to the property. Officers contacted Penn and observing signs of impairment, arrested him for operating a vehicle under the influence of intoxicants. Penn was later released pending further investigation.
This wasn’t Penn’s first brush with alcohol-related trouble. In February 2020, the 42-year-old was involved in a single-vehicle crash when his pickup truck lost control outside of a shopping mall in Hawaii. He was hospitalized subsequently placed under investigation for DUI.
As for his fighting career, Penn last competed in 2019 against Clay Guida and lost via unanimous decision to compile a seven-fight losing streak. The UFC decided to release him from the company after his involvement in a bar brawl that same year.
