Former Yankee Johnny Damon claims he’s targeted for Trump support in DUI arrest video

Stephen M. Lepore

4 years ago

This photo provided by the Orange County, Fla. Corrections Department in Orlando, Fla., shows Johnny Damon. Former Major League Baseball player Johnny Damon was arrested Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in central Florida on a charge of resisting an officer after he was pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence, according to court and jail records. Damon was booked into the Orange County Jail early Friday after he was arrested for resisting an officer without violence in Windermere, Florida, a wealthy suburb of Orlando popular with professional athletes. The charge is a first-degree misdemeanor. (Orange County, Florida Department of Corrections via AP)Jail records show that Damon's wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon, also was arrested.Damon was an outfielder for several teams in the 1990s and 2000s, including the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. He helped the Red Sox in 2004 and the Yankees in 2009 win World Series titles. He grew up in Orlando.

WINDERMERE, Fla. — Former New York Yankee Johnny Damon touted his support for both former President Donald Trump and pro-police movement “Blue Lives Matter” in video released of his February arrest for resisting in Florida after he was pulled over on a suspicion of DUI.

In the video (which contains explicit language), Damon can be seen already outside his car as he’s pulled over by a Windermere, Florida police officer. He is immediately told to get back in the car, as is the woman he is with, his wife Michelle Mangan-Damon, who has left the passenger seat of the vehicle.

Damon is asked by the officer how much he has had to drink tonight.

“A little bit,” Damon responds.

The officer then explains that Damon left his lane while driving multiple times and hit a curb. He then has to tell the woman to get back into the car. Damon is then apprehended after the officer struggles to get Damon and Mangan-Damon to comply.

Damon can then be heard saying “blue lives matter” multiple times, referring to the pro-police movement.

“We are all for cops,” Damon says twice, as Mangan-Damon asks the officer to look at their license plate, which contains “blue lives matter” insignia. Another officer then arrives on the scene.

Damon then identifies himself to the officer, continuing to profess support for police and at one point says “believe me, I am blue lives matter.”

At one point, Damon brought up his support for former President Trump to a cop, saying “hey, bro, I’m a good f—ing guy. I know people are trying to target me because I’m a Trump supporter.”

The former outfielder was eventually booked and arrested on several charges, including non-violent resisting arrest. Mangan-Damon was also arrested.

Both the Orlando Sentinel and TMZ reported that Damon’s blood-alcohol level was later measured between .294 and .300, according to an arrest report — nearly four times the state’s legal limit for driving.

Damon was a key member of the 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox team. He later helped the New York Yankees win the 2009 World Series.