PORTLAND, Oregon — Retired soccer star Abby Wambach admitted to once trying cocaine and smoking marijuana some 10 years ago, according to court documents connected to her arrest on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of intoxicants.
Wambach, who won a World Cup with the U.S. women’s team last summer, was arraigned on Tuesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court. She was not present, but her attorney entered a plea of not guilty on her behalf.
The documents said Wambach has no prior arrest record. In the documents, officers wrote that she first used marijuana at age 24 and her last use was at 25. It also states: “The defendant tried cocaine at age 25.”
She was arrested Saturday night after running a red light in Portland, where she lives, and charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants (DUII) — alcohol.
A Portland police spokesman said it is standard for officers to ask about prior drug use.
Wambach, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who announced her retirement from the national team in December, posted an apology on her Facebook page Sunday and took responsibility for her actions.
Her attorney, Ben Eder, had no comment following the plea and did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment on the matter. The next court date is April 26.
Wambach went to Twitter on Tuesday afternoon to address the plea of not guilty in light of the Facebook admission.
My lawyer entered a not guilty plea on my behalf. This is standard procedure.I am owning this. Nothing has changed. https://t.co/sSwsPPPmxt
— Abby Wambach (@AbbyWambach) April 5, 2016
Wambach is the leading career scorer — male or female — in international soccer with 184 goals.
Thumbnail photo via Derick E. Hingle/USA TODAY Sports Images
