photo by: Monroe County Sheriff's Office

Lonnie Leroy Phelps

Updated 3 p.m. Thursday, June 20:

A former Kansas defensive end playing for the Cleveland Browns was arrested Wednesday night in Key West, Florida, on suspicion of driving under the influence and allegedly crashing into a restaurant.

Lonnie Leroy Phelps, 23, of Cincinnati, is charged with one misdemeanor count of DUI causing “damage to (the) property or person of another,” according to Monroe County Sheriff’s Office records.

The Browns announced Thursday afternoon that they had waived Phelps.

He was arrested at 9:47 p.m. Wednesday in the 400 block of Petronia Street. On Thursday morning, Phelps was still in custody in Key West; by the afternoon he was no longer listed as an inmate by the sheriff’s office.

The Key West Police Department posted on Facebook early Thursday morning, “A 23-year old was arrested for DUI after crashing his vehicle into a Petronia Street restaurant Wednesday night. The building and the vehicle were significantly damaged, but there were no injuries.” Phelps was the only 23-year-old arrested in Key West on Wednesday.

Phelps began his collegiate career at Miami (Ohio) and played for KU during the 2022 season. The Browns initially signed him after he went unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft.

His arraignment is scheduled for July 2.