Chile’s star midfielder Arturo Vidal was driving under the influence of alcohol when he crashed a Ferrari in the outskirts of Santiago, police said on Tuesday.
The Juventus player suffered minor injuries in the crash and is being held until Wednesday morning when he’ll face a local judge, said Chilean national police Colonel Ricardo Gonzalez.
“The driver of the red vehicle was under the influence of alcohol,” Gonzalez said, referring to Vidal and the Ferrari that he was driving late on Tuesday.
The San Luis de Buin hospital confirmed that Vidal was treated for minor injuries in its emergency room. Television images showed the Juventus midfielder leaving the hospital in the back seat of a police car on his way to a station where he was questioned.
The Ferrari car of Arturo Vidal, which the player crashed allegedly in inebriated state. Photo: Reuters
Local media reports said Vidal, the Copa America’s leading scorer with three goals from two matches, crashed the vehicle when he was driving with his wife on a highway south of the Chilean capital on their way back from a casino.
A photo of the accident showed heavy damage to the left-front of the Ferrari, and the airbags apparently deployed.
“Unfortunately I was involved in a traffic accident,” Vidal wrote on his Twitter account, in Spanish. “Luckily we are all well and calm. Thanks for worrying.”
Vidal scored twice in Chile’s 3-3 draw against Mexico on Monday, and also scored in the team’s opening win against Ecuador last week. Chile’s next game is Friday against Bolivia.
“It’s very serious to let this happen right in the middle of the Copa America,” Jose Sulantay, a former coach for Chile’s under 20 team who coached Vidal said on CNN Chile .
“This kind of stuff doesn’t happen (when they’re playing) in Europe. I don’t understand coach Jorge Sampaoli and I don’t understand Vidal.”
