BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (AP) — UFC star Jon Jones was charged with DWI early Saturday after the car he was driving struck a utility pole, police said.
In a statement, police said they dispatched units at 5:02 a.m. for a one-car accident. Jones' 2012 Bentley struck a pole, according to the statement.
Jones was released to family members and was issued a ticket to appear at a later date, police said.
Officials said the police report on the incident was not yet available and wouldn't comment on whether there were other passengers in the vehicle.
Jones is a native of upstate New York and lives in Ithaca.
Jones is the UFC's 205-pound champion and one of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts. The 24-year-old former college wrestler has skyrocketed to the top of his sport since turning pro in April 2008, going 16-1 with an unmatched combination of incredible athleticism and ever-improving technique.
He won the UFC light heavyweight title in March 2011 with a third-round stoppage of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. He has defended his belt three times against elite 205-pounders Lyoto Machida, Rampage Jackson and Rashad Evans, who lost a unanimous decision to Jones on April 21 in Atlanta. Jones had never even been stretched to a five-round decision during his MMA career before beating Evans, his bitter rival, on a pay-per-view show.
His next bout is expected to be Sept. 1 against veteran Dan Henderson at UFC 151 in Las Vegas, although the UFC hasn't formally scheduled the fight.
Jones is one of the UFC's biggest pay-per-view stars, with lucrative endorsement deals and a growing national profile after appearing on "The Tonight Show" and in other national media. Jones also is a devout Christian who had a squeaky-clean image before this arrest.
Jones has two brothers who play in the NFL: Baltimore defensive lineman Arthur Jones and Patriots rookie Chandler Jones, who starred at Syracuse last season.
