San Jose police are still waiting for the official lab test results of the 23-year-old's blood alcohol level. But a field sobriety test that was taken at the spot where he crashed gave them sufficient cause to arrest him. He was also found in possession of marijuana.
You can see where Aldon Smith's pickup smashed into a tree on Bentley Ridge Drive, in the city's Silver Creek neighborhood. Nearby shows where the Dodge truck then created a deep rut in the lawn. The homeowner heard the noise at about 7 a.m. and saw Smith seemingly asleep at the wheel. The engine was still racing.
"I see a lot of smoke and then the neighbor came out and tried to knock on the door, and he woke up, turned off the engine," homeowner Kim Dinh said.
San Jose police and fire units responded, determining that the 49ers' offensive linebacker appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
"They tested him and then checked in the car," Dinh said. "And after that, police called the tow truck, took the car away."
"He did not appear to be injured, he was transported and booked into county jail," SJPD PIO Sgt. Heather Randol said.
Smith lives eight miles away. No one knows why he was here. Fellow 49ers teammate Ray McDonald lives just down the street from where Smith crashed his pickup. McDonald was not home Friday afternoon.
This is Smith's second DUI arrest. The linebacker, who played in his first Pro Bowl and helped the Niners appear in the Super Bowl last season, was also arrested on suspicion of drunken driving in Miami Beach in January 2012. As a first offender, that charge was reduced to reckless driving.
Then in June of last year, the linebacker and another man were stabbed at a party at Smith's hilltop home in east San Jose. Shots were also fired. Two party guests have sued Smith for their injuries. A month later, Smith apologized for his conduct.
"I just feel like, you know, after incidents that happened and expectations that were set, just for me, I feel like I let some fans and everybody that kinda looked at me like that down," Smith said in a July interview. "I'm really focused more than ever, not to say that I wasn't in the beginning, but just focused more than ever and I'm ready to go."
Smith was arrested and detained Friday morning at Santa Clara County jail. He was released after paying bail of $5,250, just hours after he was taken into custody.
He then showed up for practice at the 49ers training facility in Santa Clara. However, it is not clear whether Smith will play Sunday for the Niners when they host the Indianapolis Colts at Candlestick Park.
49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh says he has talked with Smith, but notes that whether he plays this weekend and has any other discipline will be entirely up to the league.
"There will be consequences, there always is," Harbaugh said. "Good or bad, we all have consequences."
The head coach added that he was disappointed in Smith and encouraged him to face his teammates Friday afternoon and soldier through it.
Teammate Vernon Davis says he doesn't know the details of Smith's arrest yet, but thinks the younger player will settle down.
"Even for myself coming in as a young guy, I had to go through some things," Davis said. "But there comes a point in time where you have to really just say, okay, this is it. You know, I have to get myself on the right track."
Teammate Carlos Rogers says that as a young player, it was hard for him to resist the temptation to party.
"I always had older guys that, you know, I listened to and stuck with me and I stuck to what they said and followed their directions," Rogers said. "If I'm going out, why not pay $100 and get a driver?"
The team released a statement Friday regarding Smith shortly after his arrest.
"The 49ers organization is aware of the matter involving Aldon Smith. As we continue to gather information regarding this situation, we will have no further comment," the team said.
Because of Smith's arrest for DUI and for possession of marijuana, and prior brushes with the law, he may be facing suspension by the NFL. That is a decision that we may not have until possibly after Sunday's game.
Smith is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 4.
(The Associated Press contributed to this story)
