Booker T Says AEW Bears “Responsibility” Over Jeff Hardy Arrest
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has explained why thinks AEW has some “responsibility to bear” over the DUI arrest of their current star, Jeff Hardy.
On June 13th Jeff Hardy was charged with Driving While License Canceled/Suspended/Revoked, Violation of Restrictions Placed on Drivers License, and DUI Alcohol/Drugs Third Offense within 10 Years, according to Volusia County jail records.
The arrest occurred in the Daytona Beach, Florida area. Hardy received a surety cash bond of $3,500 – $500 for the license charges, and $2500 for the DUI.
Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T discussed Hardy’s situation and says the former WWE Champion could be looking at serious jail time:
“We were just talking about how serious alcohol is and how serious addiction really is. Jeff Hardy has been one of those guys who have been going through it for quite some time. It’s public as far as Jeff Hardy’s struggles with addiction.”
“I must say when I heard about it, I was like, ‘Wow, man. It’s sad, because this is serious. This is a class three felony. He could face up to five years of prison. That right there makes it a little bit different.’ You could actually end up in prison just for driving drunk, let alone the Sunny situation where somebody could die. It could get really, really serious, but just from an alcohol perspective, he’s facing five years in prison for this right here.”
Booker T also shared his view that AEW has some responsibility for the situation given the death-defying leaps and crash landing Hardy has taken in his short time in the company:
“I don’t wish that on anybody. People are going to say, ‘Man, he deserves it.’ I’ve seen comments already saying AEW didn’t put the drink in his hand and didn’t put the keys in his hand and make him drive.”
“Yeah, they didn’t, but I think AEW has some responsibility to bear because you go back and look at the compilation of death defying dives Jeff Hardy has pulled off since arriving in AEW, and I’m gonna tell you right there that pain comes along with that.”
“When you’ve got pain, a lot of times you will go and drink or take drugs to numb the pain, and therefore, damn it, I just relapsed. Did he try to do it? Probably not. But that’s what people with addiction do. So they do have some responsibility to bear here.”
Jeff’s brother Matt Hardy had previously discussed how Jeff couldn’t remember their Double Or Nothing match with The Young Bucks after almost being knocked out during it.