Steelers' Ta'amu charged in DUI and chase

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PITTSBURGH, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Pittsburgh Steelers lineman Alameda Ta'amu was charged with multiple felony and misdemeanor counts after a wild police chase through Pittsburgh early Sunday.

Ta'amu, 22, a rookie defensive lineman was taken into custody early Sunday after he was observed driving recklessly in his luxury SUV through the East Carson entertainment district of bars and restaurants and striking several vehicles with his car, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Monday.

After he was captured, the 6-foot-3, 348-pound Ta'amu was found to have a blood alcohol level of 0.196, more than twice the legal threshold for intoxication, police said.

He faces three felony counts of fleeing police, three counts of aggravated assault while driving drunk and three felony charges of aggravated assault for nearly running down three police officers. He was also charged with 10 misdemeanors including resisting arrest, attempting escape, drunken driving and failure to obey traffic laws, court documents said.

The police affidavit said Jenifer Kosko, 22, of Plum, Pa., sustained "serious bodily injury," and later told the newspaper she had "a big lump on the head" after being struck by Ta'amu's vehicle while she sat in her parked car.