Police: Michael Phelps had BAC of .14, almost twice limit

Michael Phelps had a blood-alcohol content of .14 when he was arrested early Tuesday, nearly double the legal limit in Maryland, according to a court document.

The Olympic champion swimmer faces five charges, three relating to driving while impaired, according to the probable cause statement filed to the District Court of Maryland. He was ordered to appear in court at 9 a.m. Nov. 19.

According to the probable cause statement, a Maryland Transportation Authority officer clocked a white Range Rover doing 84 in a posted 45-mph zone. The officer began following the vehicle and noticed it "drift out of its lane."

The officer followed the Range Rover into the McHenry Tunnel, where he saw it change lanes in front of a tractor-trailer. Once clear of the tunnel, the officer pulled the car over and identified the driver as Phelps.

Phelps smelled of alcohol, his eyes were red and his speech was "mush mouth," the officer said. Phelps told the officer he was coming from the nearby Horseshoe Casino and he'd had "about 'three or four drinks,'" but that the last had been two hours before and he'd been drinking water in the meantime.

The officer said he conducted an eye test, which indicated the presence of alcohol. He then asked Phelps to do a "walk and turn" test, during which Phelps "had difficulty keeping his right foot directly in front of his left as instructed. The operator was having trouble maintaining his balance while standing."

Phelps lost his balance as he turned around, the officer said, and again as he walked the nine steps back to the starting point.

"The operator then completed the test while having difficulty with his balance while walking," according to the probable cause statement.

When asked to do the last field test, a one-leg stand, the officer said Phelps responded, "That's not happening." He was then placed under arrest.

Phelps asked for another chance to do the test, only to become "disoriented, argumentative and did not attempt the test." He was then taken to a Transportation Authority station, where he did the one-leg test and took the breathalyzer.

Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 medals, 18 of them gold. He retired after the London Olympics, only to return to training this spring with an eye toward the Rio Games in 2016.