Former NBA player Ty Lawson was arrested and charged with shoplifting a $34 bottle of Tito's vodka in Colorado last week. According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by The California Post, Lawson also verbally abused the arresting officer, calling him a "white b****," and later kicked his jail cell's glass wall.
Police were called to a Castle Rock liquor store on July 16 after an employee accused Lawson of stealing the vodka and taking it to a nearby restaurant. Officers reportedly smelled alcohol on Lawson when they confronted him. He was booked on the shoplifting charge and subsequently released.
Lawson has not publicly commented on the arrest, and attempts to reach him for a statement were unsuccessful. A friend who was with Lawson and found with the vodka bottle was also detained but later released after police determined he was not involved in the alleged theft.
Lawson, who played eight NBA seasons primarily with the Denver Nuggets after being drafted in 2009, has a history of off-court issues. These include two DUI arrests in 2015 and a ban from the Chinese Basketball Association in 2020 for making derogatory comments. He has not played in the NBA since 2017. 
