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Ex-Broncos punter on trial today

By Keith Coffman, Special to the Rocky

Published May 27, 2008 at 7:49 p.m.

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Todd Sauerbrun

Todd Sauerbrun

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Former Denver Broncos punter Todd Sauerbrun is scheduled to go on trial today in Denver County Court on charges stemming from an altercation with a taxi driver last December.

The cabbie, Saul Cast, accused Sauerbrun of smacking him in the back of the head, and verbally abusing him after he picked up the punter in his Metro Taxi outside the Ocean bar in Cherry Creek.

"He was extremely vulgar and rough," Cast said of the 5-foot-10, 215-pound player.

In February, Sauerbrun, 35, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and disturbing the peace. He told the Rocky Mountain News that he never touched Cast, whom he said was "looking for a payday."

According to Cast, a bouncer from the bar escorted an intoxicated Sauerbrun to his cab, and that Sauerbrun backhanded him while ordering him to turn off the car stereo. Cast said he complied, but that Sauerbrun continued haranguing him to the point that he drove to the Denver Police District 3 substation on South University Boulevard and ordered the kicker out of the car.

Sauerbrun refused, according to Cast, until a police officer heard the commotion. Sauerbrun was cited for violating the city's municipal ordinance, and was ticketed for simple assault, disturbing the peace and failure to pay the $8.35 cab fare. Police then transported him to a detox facility.

Although Sauerbrun called Cast's claim "a false allegation," the Broncos released the three-time Pro Bowler days after the incident became public.

Sauberun, who handled punting and kick-off duties before his release, has had a troubled off-field history since he came into the league out of West Virginia University in 1995.

He was named, along with several other members of the Carolina Panthers, as using steroids during the team's 2003 NFC conference championship season. In 2004, he was arrested for driving while impaired, speeding and driving without a license in Charlotte, N.C., and received a one-year probationary sentence.

In 2006, as a Broncos player, the NFL suspended him for four games after he tested positive for the banned dietary supplement ephedra. The Broncos subsequently released him, and he played briefly for the New England Patriots before resigning with the Broncos prior to the 2007 season.

Comments

  • May 28, 2008

    6:44 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    elkman writes:

    If he was that intoxicated, how would he know what he did or did not do? Players like him have no place in professional sports.

  • May 28, 2008

    7:19 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    farsidefan writes:

    Send him on down the road. Tom Rouen, Bucky Dilts where are you guys ? Two class acts.

  • May 28, 2008

    7:19 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    DahmersCookbook writes:

    "looking for a payday."

    Who in the hell is this player? Do Mom and Dad have all the millions?

  • May 28, 2008

    9:39 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    happymike44 writes:

    He fall down and go boom on his head one time too many.What a great rule model,to all the boys and girls.Wonder how mom and dad feel about seeing his picture in the paper.You know not the sharpest knife in the drawer comes to mind.Besides he was plastered how does he know what did or did not happen.Man he's got to quit getting hit in the head or he will think he is clark kent and end up in some real trouble.

  • May 28, 2008

    10:03 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    tahosa writes:

    Good riddance Saur-rotten!