National Basketball Association

Arenas arrested over fireworks?

Published Jun. 27, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Gilbert Arenas is currently employed by the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association, his NBA career having petered out after stints with the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies. It’s probably worth pointing out that China invented fireworks (along with gunpowder) all the way back in the seventh century, so perhaps Arenas is just cognizant of a different set of laws.

However, Arenas’ Fourth of July celebration certainly isn’t going to be what he may have been envisioning.

Arenas was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol at about 2:30 a.m. Thursday in Los Angeles for speeding, according to TMZ. But it apparently wasn’t a typical traffic stop, as officers immediately found that the entire bed of Arenas’ Ford pickup truck was filled with illegal fireworks.

The LAPD bomb squad was reportedly called out to deal with the potential danger, and a TMZ cameraman counted 20 boxes worth of illegal fireworks — being handled very carefully.

Arenas was arrested at the scene, according to TMZ’s report, and charged with possession of illegal fireworks and driving without a license. He was also cited for speeding at about 80 miles per hour.

Of course, Arenas infamously violated NBA rules and was suspended by the NBA indefinitely (which turned out to be the rest of the 2009-10 season) after keeping guns in his locker at Verizon Center while with the Washington Wizards. So, as he plays in the country that invented gunpowder, there’s probably more than a little irony there in how the innovation has affected his life centuries later.