Rams defensive lineman Ethan Westbrooks arrested after gun is found in car
Rams defensive lineman Ethan Westbrooks was arrested Friday night when a gun was found in his vehicle after traffic stop near Bakersfield.
“I can’t talk about it because it’s a legal issue,” Westbrooks said Monday after practice.
Westbrooks, 26, was initially stopped for speeding on Interstate 5 in Kern County, Adam Taylor, public information officer for the California Highway Patrol’s Buttonwillow division, said Monday.
An officer observed a handgun inside the car, and a records check indicated the gun had been stolen in 2009, Taylor said. The gun also was loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition, Taylor said.
Westbrooks was arrested and placed in Kern County Jail on suspicion of receiving stolen property, carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a stolen loaded firearm, grand theft of a firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine, Taylor said.
Westbrooks was released after posting bond of $55,000 and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 25, said Lt. Henry Bravo, public information officer for the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
A Rams spokesman said the team was aware of the arrest but had no comment. Coach Sean McVay and members of his coaching staff are not scheduled to speak with the media until Wednesday.
Westbrooks said he had spoken to McVay about the incident.
“He said he was behind me, the organization is behind me so that’s pretty much it,” Westbrooks said.
On Friday, the day after the Rams’s 41-39 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, McVay said he had warned players to “protect the team” by avoiding off-the-field incidents.
“Just a bad situation,” Westbrooks said.
Westbrooks was arrested in March in Sacramento on suspicion of domestic violence. The Sacramento County district attorney’s office declined to file charges.
The Rams play the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at AT&T Stadium.
Follow Gary Klein on Twitter @latimesklein
UPDATES:
2:50 p.m.: This article was updated with details about Westbrooks’ arrest and quotes from him after practice.
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