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Ben Cousins to face drug charge.
October 16, 2007 08:41pm
Ben Cousins arrested after police stop car
AFL star to face drug possession charge
Also charged over refusing drug test
AFL West Coast Eagle star Ben Cousins has been charged with drug possession following a police search of his vehicle in Perth, police said tonight.
Channel 9 has reported that both Cousins and dumped Eagle Daniel Chick had been charged with drug possession.
Cousins is also understood to have been charged with refusing to submit to blood and saliva tests.
In a move that could see Cousins become the first West Australian charged under the new laws, which only came into effect on Friday, the embattled footballer is being questioned by detectives at Curtin House.
PerthNow understands that Cousins was stopped by detectives earlier today because of erratic driving and was taken to the police traffic branch along with Chick and a scantily clad blonde - who were also in the car.
There, Cousins allegedly refused a driver-assessment interview with police. Because of this, police could then not demand urine or blood to test for drugs.
Cousins and Chick were then taken to Curtin House to be interviewed by detectives.
Under the new drug-impaired driving laws, people found to be driving under the influence face fines of $800-$5000, 18 months' jail, and a six-month to permanent licence disqualification.
Police spokesman Graham Clifford said official police comment may not come until later tonight.
Cousins was in his four-wheel drive when two police cars pulled it over in Aberdeen St, Northbridge, about 12.30pm (WST).
Channel 9 reporter Grant Taylor, who witnessed the arrest, said a bare-chested Cousins was handcuffed and taken away by detectives after his vehicle was searched for about 45 minutes.
He was questioned at the East Perth traffic branch, before being transferred to CIB headquarters at Curtin House before 4pm.
Cousins, wearing large sunglasses and displaying his new body tattoo "Such is life'', did not appear to be saying anything when led away.
Taylor said police conducted a thorough search of Cousins and his vehicle on the roadside. A scantily clad blonde woman was also in the car.
"Police have taken Ben Cousins away, handcuffed, shirtless, into custody, taken him away for questioning after stopping him and a young woman in his car on Aberdeen St,'' Taylor said.
Cousins, a former skipper and Brownlow Medal winner with the Eagles, was with Eagles legend Chris Mainwaring hours before he died earlier this month. He was a pall-bearer at last week's funeral.
Eagles communications manager Gary Stocks said he was not aware of the reason for the arrest.
"I haven't been told what he has been arrested in relation to,'' Stocks said.
He said no one from the club had yet spoken to Cousins.
Cousins' father, Bryan, and the footballer's former girlfriend, Samantha Druce, arrived at Curtin House after first checking in at the traffic branch. They were accompanied by Cousins' lawyer, Peter Momber.
news.com.au