Photo : John Bazemore ( AP

Dwight Gooden was arrested in June and charged with four counts related to cocaine possession and driving under the influence of cocaine. That was not even Gooden’s most recent arrest for substance abuse—he was arrested again Monday for driving under the influence after he reportedly drove the wrong way down a one-way street in Newark, New Jersey. Gooden, who’d claimed he’d been sober for most of the past decade, appears to be in a dangerous tailspin.




The details from his latest arrest are very sad. An Essex County law enforcement source reportedly told the New York Post that Gooden was polite and cooperative during the arrest, but that he’d peed himself, and that he told police he’d recently been diagnosed with diabetes. Tuesday, Gooden told the Post that he “got exactly what [he] deserved” in the arrest, and that he’d be checking back into rehab immediately:

“Basically, I’m going away tonight to try to get some help to save my life.” “I’m very embarrassed. Very shameful. I feel bad for anybody I disappointed or let down,” said the ex-star pitcher, 54, whose spectacular career on the mound has been marred over the years by his constant struggle with drugs and booze. “It’s a struggle—a hard struggle—but you have to just jump back in,” said Gooden, a.k.a. Doc. “I’ll be checking in tonight, whatever it takes. This time, I mean, at my age, I’ve been doing this for 30 something years. I never thought I’d see myself at 54 going back to treatment.


The Daily News reports that Gooden’s arrest Monday came just hours before a scheduled court appearance in Holmdel, New Jersey, related to the traffic charges from his June 7 arrest. Tuesday, Gooden exchanged some very sad text messages with Newsday’s Jim Baumbach:

“I have no excuse for my action so I am going away for a while to try and save my life. I really don’t know who I am right now and definitely don’t trust myself. “This is the worst I’ve ever been through all my struggles. But I am going to keep fighting no matter how embarrassing, shameful or selfish I am feeling.”

If there’s the thinnest of silver linings, it’s the hope that maybe being arrested twice and facing those consequences will force Gooden out of his current condition before it gets any worse.