Patriots' Jabrill Peppers to face strangulation, drug charges ESPN

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers was arrested Saturday and will face charges that include strangulation and drug possession, according to police in Braintree, Massachusetts.

Peppers, a team captain, didn't play in the Patriots' 15-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. He had been limited in practice last week because of a shoulder injury, and the team officially ruled him out Saturday.

Police announced Peppers' arrest Monday, saying they responded to a disturbance at a residential address early Saturday morning when a caller indicated there was an altercation between two people.

Police said Peppers, who turned 29 on Friday, will be charged with "assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation, and possession of a Class B substance believed to be cocaine."

The alleged victim was treated at the scene, and Peppers is expected to be arraigned Monday in Quincy (Massachusetts) District Court.

"He called me that morning. I knew what was going on," head coach Jerod Mayo told sports radio WEEI on Monday. "We've informed the NFL what was going on and we're still gathering information. ... I don't think anyone knows the facts or anything like that. It's a process."

In a statement, the Patriots said they were "aware of an incident involving Jabrill Peppers over the weekend in which the police are currently investigating" and would have no further comment.