MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Shaun Rogers has had his trouble with the law, but this time he is getting kudos from a local police chief.
Rogers called 911 last Thursday night as he was driving south on Interstate 71 in Middleburg Heights when he saw an erratic driver.
In his conversation with the dispatcher, Rogers said, "The occupants appear to be either very sleepy or drunk, he's run off the road several times swerving across, they're driving on a flat tire right now."
Rogers stayed on the line with the dispatcher and continued to follow the car which he described as driving on a blown front tire. When the driver finally pulled over near the exit to Pearl Road, Rogers told the dispatcher that the driver turned off his lights. The back end of the car was sitting partially in the fast lanes of the highway.
Rogers pulled up behind them in his pickup truck and put his emergency flashing lights on to warn other drivers.
"Mr. Rogers positioned himself behind that vehicle and turned his emergency flashers on to notify other drivers that there was an emergency on the road, and I don't know what would've happened had he not done that," Middleburg Heights Police Chief John Maddox said.
Maddox said police arrested the driver, John Nykiel, 20, of Euclid and charged him with driving under the influence and operating an unsafe vehicle. Maddox said Nykiel's passenger Mark Palermo, 20, also of Euclid was charged with underage consumption.
Maddox believes Rogers actions that night saved lives. He drafted a letter to send to Rogers and his bosses at the Browns organization.
"I thought his actions were above and beyond and I wanted to express to him as chief of police how much we appreciate what he did that night he helped keep Middleburg Heights safe," Maddox said.
Maddox says they often get calls from drivers spotting erratic drivers on the road, but he said Rogers took it a step further.
