Former UFC champion BJ Penn was involved in a single-car crash in Hilo, Hawaii on February 7, and police are now investigating to see if alcohol played a factor in the incident.
According to Hawaiian news outlet Big Island Now, a caller reported that a Toyota Tacoma (later found to have been driven by Penn) was speeding when the driver lost control and the vehicle flipped over. Penn was the only person in the vehicle and was taken to the hospital by ambulance; his current condition is unknown.
Because a new protocol in Hawaii prohibits a blood draw at the scene of a one-vehicle accident involving only the driver unless a warrant is available, police were unable to test Penn’s BAC at the scene. However, hospital staff took a blood draw from Penn upon his arrival and have shared the results with the police. Because the investigation is ongoing, police aren’t revealing the results of the test to the media, but Patrol Captain Ken Quiocho told Big Island Now that the results of Penn’s test prompted the aforementioned DUI investigation.
Penn has established himself as one of the legends of MMA, but his reputation has been recently marred following a restraining order from the mother of his children and multiple street fights that have been caught on film.
The Jiu-Jitsu Times will provide updates on Penn’s condition and investigation status as they become available.
