Ex-Eagles Star Miles Sanders Found Slumped Behind Wheel on Route 22, Charged With DUI

Former Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders was arrested in Churchill Borough after police found him slumped behind the wheel of a silver Lexus that had come to a stop in the middle of William Penn Highway, according to court documents. The 29-year-old free agent, who grew up just minutes away in Swissvale, is now charged with DUI and careless driving.

Officers discovered the vehicle motionless near Beulah Drive, according to court documents cited by WPXI. Police said Sanders was slumped in the driver's seat and appeared to drift in and out of consciousness before officers were able to wake him, at which point he acted lethargic. Police say Sanders tested positive for alcohol, and officers also recovered a sealed package of suspected marijuana inside the vehicle.

William Penn Highway, also known as Route 22, is one of the main commuter arteries running through Churchill Borough, linking Pittsburgh to nearby communities, including Swissvale and Monroeville, per Wikipedia. The stretch carries heavy local traffic, and the report notes Sanders' vehicle was found stopped in an active travel lane rather than pulled to the shoulder.

A Homecoming Complicated by Arrest

The location of the arrest carries particular weight for Sanders, who was born in Pittsburgh and is a graduate of Woodland Hills High School, located in the very borough where he was taken into custody. He was named Pennsylvania's Mr. Football in 2015 while starring for Woodland Hills, according to the Carolina Panthers' team website. That hometown pedigree helped fuel a standout college career and, eventually, an NFL rise that once made him one of the league's top backs.

Sanders backed up Saquon Barkley for two seasons at Penn State before breaking out as a junior in 2018 with 1,274 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, prompting him to declare for the draft, per Penn State Athletics. The Eagles selected him 53rd overall in 2019, and he immediately set franchise rookie records with 818 rushing yards and 1,327 yards from scrimmage. He previously played for both the Eagles and, later, the Panthers.

From Pro Bowl Heights to a Free-Agent Search

Sanders' career peaked in 2022, when he earned his first Pro Bowl selection after rushing for career-high totals of 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns while helping Philadelphia reach Super Bowl LVII, according to Heavy Sports. That performance led to a four-year, $25 million contract with Carolina in 2023. He most recently played four games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2025 before undergoing season-ending knee surgery.

After clearing medical checks, Sanders conducted a free-agent workout for the Las Vegas Raiders in July 2026 as he worked to secure a roster spot for the coming season, the outlet reported. He remains a free agent as this case moves through the courts.

Legal Stakes Under Pennsylvania's DUI Tiers

Pennsylvania's DUI law operates on a three-tiered system based on blood-alcohol concentration, ranging from General Impairment at .08 to .099 percent up through Highest Rate at .16 percent or above, which also applies to cases involving controlled substances, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Drug-involved or Tier 3 first offenses carry mandatory minimum jail sentences of 72 hours, meaning the presence of suspected marijuana alongside the alcohol finding could affect how the case is charged.

First-time, non-violent DUI offenders in Pennsylvania may also be eligible to apply for the county's Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, which allows for probation and alcohol safety courses with a reduced license suspension of 30 to 90 days instead of a formal conviction, per the Zuckerman Law Firm. Admission to that diversion program would ultimately be subject to approval by the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office.

Sanders' attorney, Phil DiLucente, declined to discuss the specifics of the case. “This is a private matter that has not even reached the preliminary hearing stage and there will be no further comment,” DiLucente said.

What It Could Mean for an NFL Return

Even as an unsigned free agent, Sanders remains subject to the NFL Personal Conduct Policy, which grants Commissioner Roger Goodell authority to investigate off-field incidents and impose fines or suspensions regardless of whether criminal charges result in a conviction, according to a policy document hosted by Brooklyn Law School's Sports & Entertainment Law Blog. The policy applies to any player who appeared in the league the prior season, a category that includes Sanders following his 2025 stint with Dallas.

Under joint disciplinary standards adopted by the NFL and NFL Players Association, a player found legally responsible for a first-time DUI faces a baseline penalty of a one-game suspension without pay and a fine equal to one game's pay, per league policy documentation. Aggravating factors, including any findings tied to drug possession, could trigger a heightened league review — a complication that arrives just as Sanders was working to rebuild his case for a 2026 roster spot.