Fan arrested for hitting Browns owner Jimmy Haslam with bottle originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
A fan was arrested and booked on three misdemeanor charges for allegedly striking Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam with a plastic bottle at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday.
A video captured by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero showed Haslam leaving the sidelines and heading for the exit tunnel after Garrett Wilson's game-tying touchdown late in Cleveland's 31-30 loss to the New York Jets.
But before Haslam reached the tunnel, he was struck on the right side of his body by a plastic bottle thrown from the crowd. After being hit, Haslam stopped and pointed in the direction where the bottle came from.
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Surveillance video from inside the stadium helped police identify Jeffrey Miller, a 51-year-old Rocky River, Ohio, man, as the suspect. Police located him before he exited the stadium.
According to the police report from Cleveland PD, Miller didn't stop when ordered to by police and was eventually detained near an exit gate. The report said Miller "appeared to be intoxicated" and that he told officers his bottle "never hit the field."
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Miller was first taken to the stadium police room before being transported to county jail. He was booked on assault, failure to comply with a lawful order and disorderly conduct.
Miller is expected to be banned from attending Browns games at FirstEnergy Stadium, according to multiple reports.
"Fan, player and staff safety is the top priority in our building and behavior that puts others in danger will not be tolerated," the Browns said in a statement. "Luckily no one was harmed in this incident and as a standard practice, we've cooperated with law enforcement authorities and security video footage of the object being thrown is in the appropriate hands. We will have no further comment on this matter."
