Tony Romo, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS broadcaster, has agreed to a plea deal that includes a provision for a mandatory jail sentence if he is convicted of another operating while intoxicated (OWI) offense within the next 10 years. The court documents detailing the agreement were obtained by the California Post.
Romo accepted the plea deal to resolve his OWI case in Wisconsin. In addition to the potential jail time, the terms of the agreement require him to install an ignition interlock device on all of his vehicles, pay a fine exceeding $700, and surrender his driver's license for six months. He also agreed to complete an alcohol assessment program.
Prosecutors agreed to drop all other citations against Romo in exchange for his no contest plea to the OWI charge. He had initially faced four citations following an incident on July 23, including OWI, possession of open intoxicants in a moving vehicle, unsafe passing on the right, and refusing a sobriety test after arrest. The arrest occurred on a Milwaukee highway after police pulled him over for an unsafe lane change and observed signs of impairment.
Court filings indicate Romo's blood-alcohol level was .15, nearly double the legal limit of .08 in Wisconsin, according to TMJ4.
Romo addressed the incident on his Instagram page, stating that his career-ending back surgeries and the resulting chronic pain led to a dependence on pain medication. This, he explained, escalated to an over-reliance on alcohol. He expressed his commitment to taking responsibility for his actions and focusing on his health, family, and his planned return to CBS broadcasts.
He concluded his statement by requesting privacy during this period.