Authorities say ex-NFL lineman Kwame Harris tried to bite officer

SAN FRANCISCO -- Former 49ers and Raiders offensive lineman Kwame Harris was tied to two hit-and-run crashes in San Francisco before falling asleep in a running car and trying to bite a police officer, authorities say.

Officers on patrol were told a man needed help Sunday night and found the 33-year-old sleeping in a parked, running car in a chained-off driveway, police spokeswoman Grace Gatpandan told the San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday.

The officers woke Harris and tried to handcuff him because the car was on and there were people around, Gatpandan said. Harris resisted and tried to bite an officer's hand, she said, adding that paramedics determined he was intoxicated.

Investigators suspect Harris in two hit-and-run crashes earlier Sunday. The former player was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, aggravated assault on an officer, hit-and-run and resisting officers.

The 49ers drafted Harris with the 26th overall pick in 2003 out of Stanford. He played five seasons on San Francisco's offensive line before signing with the Raiders. He was released by Oakland following his one season with the team in 2008 and has not played since.

An attorney who represented Harris in a past case said Tuesday that he believes Harris would hire a new lawyer, who would decide whether to comment on the arrest.