Ethan Westbrooks #93 of the Los Angeles Rams takes the field before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on November 13, 2016, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

LA Rams Defensive Lineman Arrested on Five Felony Charges

A Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman, Ethan Westbrooks, was arrested on five felony charges, according to reports.

Westbrooks was arrested Friday night on suspicion of carrying a loaded firearm, NFL.com reported, citing California Highway Patrol records.

He now faces charges 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—all of them felonies.

The 26-year-old–who played college football at West Texas A&M University and signed with the Rams in 2014—was arrested at a traffic stop along Interstate 5 west of Bakersfield, California. He was stopped after an officer noticed him speeding.

#LARams lineman Ethan Westbrooks arrested for alleged possession of stolen gun https://t.co/ZklE7nsFPa pic.twitter.com/moNpqWELDd — ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) September 27, 2017

The officer then spotted a handgun in his vehicle and found that it was loaded. The handgun was reported stolen in 2009, The Associated Press reported.

After that, he was arrested without incident. He was taken to the Kern County Jail Receiving Facility in Bakersfield before being released.

Here's more on Ethan Westbrooks' situation … https://t.co/B4QT5t60o8 — Alden Gonzalez (@Alden_Gonzalez) September 25, 2017

His arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 5.

“It’s just a bad situation,” Westbrooks told the San Jose Mercury News.

“I can’t talk about it because it’s a legal issue,” Westbrooks said on Monday after team practice, reported the Los Angeles Times.

The Rams had no immediate statement on the arrest, but Westbrooks said that he had spoken to Rams coach Sean McVay about it.

“He said he was behind me, the organization is behind me so that’s pretty much it,” Westbrooks told the LA Times.

Coach McVay had told the team that he warned players to “protect the team” by not being involved in off-the-field incidents, such as arrests.

LA Rams defensive end Ethan Westbrooks arrested on felony gun charges https://t.co/HLNDv2Bk7E pic.twitter.com/FPdhhPw6tu — Mercury News (@mercnews) September 26, 2017

Earlier this year, in March, he was arrested in Sacramento on suspicion of domestic violence. The Sacramento County district attorney declined to file charges, however.

He’s played 53 games with the Rams. It’s unclear if he’ll face a team or league suspension.

In five games this season, he had one sack and five tackles. SBNation wrote that he would be the Rams’ “breakout star” this year.

He’s a native of Oakland, California, and attended Franklin High in El Grove and later San Joaquin and Sacramento City Colleges.

The Rams play the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.