Colts owner Jim Irsay seeks delay in trial on OWI charges

An attorney for Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay filed a motion Monday seeking a continuance of Irsay's trial on two misdemeanor charges of operating while intoxicated.

Irsay had been slated to stand trial on the charges Aug. 28 in Hamilton Superior Court.

Irsay was charged following a traffic stop in March.

Online court records show the motion was filed Monday by Bruce Boje, one of Irsay's attorneys. Boje declined to comment on the filing.

Hamilton County court rules require an attorney requesting a continuance to seek the opposing party's position.

"We were contacted and posed no objection to the request," said Andre Miksha, spokesman for the prosecutor.

Irsay is charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and operating a vehicle with a controlled substance in the body. Prosecutors allege he had "oxycodone and/or hydrocodone" in his system when a Carmel police officer pulled him over at 11:40 p.m. on March 16.

Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. Legal experts, however, say, most first-time offenders such as Irsay are not likely to be sent to prison on such charges.

Irsay, 55, was arrested near Horseferry Road and Main Street in Carmel after an officer saw him driving erratically, according to case documents obtained by The Star.

The report said Irsay was unsteady, had trouble standing and was unable to stand heel to toe. Two officers "continuously had to support Irsay in order to prevent him from falling over," the report said.

According to police, Carmel officers who took an inventory of Irsay's vehicle "recovered numerous prescription medication bottles containing pills." During the inventory, officers also reported finding $29,029 in cash.

Police records listed 11 pieces of evidence under the notation of "drugs/prescription," but it's unclear if that meant 11 pills or 11 different types of pills. A news release from Carmel police said they were Schedule IV prescription drugs. Those types of drugs include Xanax, Darvocet, Valium, Ativan and Ambien.

Call reporters Tim Evans at (317) 444-6204 and Mark Alesia at (317) 444-6311. Follow them on Twitter: @starwatchtim and @markalesia.