Steelers cornerback Justin Layne was arrested outside of Cleveland early Friday morning and charged with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, driving under suspension and speeding.
Willoughby Hills (Ohio) police department chief Matt Naegele said Layne was pulled over at 1:20 a.m. on Interstate 90 for driving 89 mph in a 60-mph zone. Willoughby was located around 15 miles from Cleveland.
While stopped, police said they discovered that Layne was driving with a suspended license. A warrant was also out regarding another traffic violation, for which Layne failed to make a court appearance.
As officers searched Layne’s car, they discovered the handgun in the center console of the vehicle. According to the arrest report, Layne told police he “forget [the gun] was in there.”
Layne, 23, is not a licensed concealed carry permit holder in Ohio. He is a native of the Cleveland area.
Steelers spokesperson Burt Lauten told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the team is aware of the incident and is still gathering information. Lauten also told the Gazette that the team will have no further comment at this time.
Pittsburgh drafted Layne in the third round of the 2019 draft out of Michigan State. In 26 career games, Layne has 25 total tackles.
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