Colts Receiver Keenan Allen Arrested Hours After Preseason Game on Two Preliminary DWI Charges
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen was arrested in downtown Indianapolis early Sunday morning, only hours after appearing in the team’s preseason finale.
Allen, 34, faces two preliminary misdemeanor charges: operating a vehicle while intoxicated and operating while intoxicated in a manner that endangered another person, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department as reported by Reuters and ESPN.
The charges are preliminary. An arrest is not a conviction, and Allen is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
What police said happened
Police said officers approached Allen’s vehicle at approximately 1 a.m. ET on Aug. 30 after finding it parked in a no-parking area. According to the department’s account, officers observed signs of possible intoxication and arrested him following further investigation.
ESPN reported that Allen was being held at the Marion County Arrestee Processing Center on Sunday morning. Authorities had not publicly released additional details about the allegation that another person was endangered, and it would be inappropriate to speculate about circumstances that police have not described.
No crash or injury was reported in the accounts reviewed for this article.
The arrest came hours after Allen’s Colts appearance
Allen played briefly Saturday in Indianapolis’ 25-16 preseason loss to the Detroit Lions. He made one reception for 24 yards before leaving the game.
The veteran receiver had joined the Colts less than two weeks earlier. The team’s official roster biography lists Aug. 19, 2026, as the date he signed with Indianapolis as a free agent.
The Colts said they were aware of the incident and were gathering more information, declining further comment while the matter remains under review.
A major late-career addition for Indianapolis
Allen entered the NFL as a third-round draft choice of the then-San Diego Chargers in 2013. He spent his first 11 seasons with the franchise, played for the Chicago Bears in 2024 and returned to the Chargers in 2025 before signing with Indianapolis.
He is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and one of the most productive receivers of his generation. Reuters lists his career totals at 1,055 receptions, 12,051 receiving yards and 70 touchdowns.
During the 2025 season, Allen caught 81 passes for 777 yards and four touchdowns while appearing in all 17 games for Los Angeles, figures also listed by the Colts.
Indianapolis added him to provide experience to its receiving group ahead of the regular season. The arrest now creates uncertainty days before teams finalize their rosters and prepare for opening week.
What remains unknown
Neither police nor the Colts had announced a court schedule or any team discipline as of Sunday’s initial reports. The available accounts also did not say whether prosecutors had formally filed charges beyond the preliminary arrest allegations.
Those distinctions matter. Police recommend or record preliminary charges during an arrest, but prosecutors and courts determine how a case proceeds. Team or league action, if any, can follow a separate process.
For now, the established facts are limited: Allen was arrested early Sunday, police identified two preliminary misdemeanor impaired-driving allegations, and the Colts said they were collecting information.
The featured image is an original illustrative editorial scene. The fictional person shown is not Keenan Allen, a Colts employee, police officer, official, witness or participant.
