Lewis played for the University of Maryland and spent nine seasons in the National Football League, playing for three teams. His longest stint with the Ravens from 1996 to 2001. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 1998 and 2001 and as all-pro first team returner in 1998.

He played 111 NFL games, had 143 receptions and averaged 14.9 yards a catch. He averaged 11.1 yards on punt returns and 21.8 yards on kick returns, and he scored 23 touchdowns. He signed a 5-year, $16 million contract with the Ravens in 1998 and a 3-year, $3 million contract with Jacksonville in 2003.

Baltimore County police said they got their first complain shortly after 6 p.m. on Monday when a driver called 911 to report a man driving a 2006 white Dodge Charger “was all over the roadway” near Reisterstown Road and Glyndon Drive.

Police said the car was registered to Lewis and that he had his driving privileges revoked or suspended.

A second caller to 911 reported the same car being driven erratically on Old Hanover Road, near Piney Grove Road, and that it “almost hit a couple of cars head-on,” according to police. A driver followed the car, police said, and reported that it “hit something” before turning into a driveway of a house in the 4900 block of Pleasant Grove Road. Police later said the car hit a sign for the Boring Volunteer Fire Department.

Police said an officer spotted the Dodge in Lewis’ driveway and knocked on the front door. The report says Imara Lewis, along with a small child, answered the door and confirmed that Lewis was home. Imara Lewis went back to the living room and police said they heard an argument.

Officer Andrew J. O’Neil said in the charging document that he went into the living room and saw Lewis “lying on the couch with his shorts half-way down to his knees.” The officer said he “noticed a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from the defendant Jermaine Lewis’ person and notices that his eyes were glass and bloodshot.”

When O’Neil asked Lewis what happened, he reported that Lewis answered, “I hit a sign.”
O’Neil wrote that Lewis resisted when he tried to place him under arrest and refused to get off the couch. O’Neil said he grabbed Lewis’ arm and that Lewis refused and continued to resist. O’Neil said he warned Lewis several time he would use his Taser if he did not comply. O’Neil wrote that he fired his Taser at Lewis once, hitting him in the upper body, and placed him in custody.

Police took Lewis to Carroll County Hospital Center, which is standard after using the Taser, which send an electric jolt into the body, and then to the county detention center. Police said Lewis’ car was missing  a white grill and turn signal, which was found near where the sign had been hit.

Lewis was charged with resisting arrest and numerous traffic infractions, including driving on a revoked or suspended license, failure to control speed to avoid a collision and failure to report an accident.

Baltimore County police spokeswoman Cathy Batton said Lewis was not charged with alcohol-related offenses because “officers could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he had not consumed alcohol after arriving home.“