Ex-NFL star Derrick Ward arrested in string of Los Angeles robberies, per reports
Former NFL running back Derrick Ward is in custody after he was arrested Monday on charges of robbing multiple businesses in Southern California, according to multiple reports.
He was reportedly involved in the robberies of at least five businesses, including gas stations, per NBC News. He is not accused of using a firearm during any of those alleged crimes, allegedly using force and fear to obtain money instead, TMZ reported.
As of Tuesday, Ward is still being held in a Los Angeles jail after he was booked on a felony charge. His bail is reportedly set at $250,000.
The 43-year-old's professional football career spanned across eight seasons in the league, which included a Super Bowl ring with the New York Giants in the 2007 season.
Ward spent the first five years of his career in New Jersey. The Jets selected him in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft but he never played for the team, landing with the Giants.
He didn't play in the Giants' Super Bowl win at the end of the 2007 season, as he broke his leg late in the season and the team placed him on injured reserve. That year, the team went 10-6 and defeated the New England Patriots, who were previously unbeaten, in the Super Bowl. The 17-14 Super Bowl win is still remembered for the "Helmet Catch," which saw Eli Manning connect with Giants wideout David Tyree for an unlikely reception that put the Giants in position for the touchdown that won them the game.
Ward's best NFL season came the following year. He rushed for a career-high 1,025 yards in 2008. He went on to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Houston Texans, recording 2,628 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns over his entire career.
He grew up in Riverside County in Southern California. Ward initially stayed in California for college, playing football for Fresno State before moving to Kansas to attend Ottawa University.
