San Diego Chargers safety Kevin Ellison was arrested Monday in Redondo Beach, Calif., on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance after police stopped him for speeding in a school zone near his former high school.
Ellison's agent, Jerome Stanley, told *The San Diego Union-Tribune* on Tuesday that his client didn't realize the Vicodin he had in his center console was a controlled substance.
"He thought it was a good idea to get enough pain killers to last the season," Stanley said. "They were for him to use because of his knee surgery."
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Owens is clearly sensitive to the coverage he receives in the media. He disputed talk that he's making exorbitant salary demands.
Ellison, 23, was booked and released on $10,000 bail. He's due to appear in court in July.
Reached by The Associated Press, Redondo Beach Sgt. Peter Grimm said Ellison didn't have a prescription for the Vicodin, and even if he did, it was an unusually large amount of pills for a pharmacist to distribute.
"It's disappointing to hear about the issue involving Kevin Ellison," Chargers general manager A.J. Smith said in a statement released by the team. "We'll continue to monitor the situation and let the legal process run its course."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.