Former MLB Pitcher Matt Bush Arrested After Drunkenly Fleeing the Scene

Matt Bush, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 MLB Draft, has been arrested after allegedly fleeing an accident scene while intoxicated. 

Bush, 38, was taken into custody in Arlington, Texas on Friday, October 3 after he caused a multi-car wreck and attempted to escape the police on foot, Arlington P.D. said in a statement to Us Weekly.

Authorities initially attempted to pull over Bush after he was spotted “driving erratically” in his Lincoln Aviator on Friday evening. Police claim Bush managed to evade them by speeding away. 

Minutes later, Bush allegedly ran a red light and caused a pile-up in the middle of an intersection. Police say Bush attempted to run away, but bystanders on the scene pinned him down before authorities showed up. 

Bush was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries where he showed signs of being drunk. After refusing to conduct a sobriety test, Bush was arrested and charged with one count of DWI, one count of accident involving injury and one count of evading.

Us Weekly reached out to a representative for Bush and did not immediately hear back. 

Drafted No. 1 overall by the San Diego Padres in 2004, Bush was plagued by numerous off-the-field issues before his professional career even began.

In March 2012, while playing in the minor leagues, Bush was arrested after running over a motorcyclist’s head with his SUV. 

Bush was charged with two counts of DUI with property damage, one count of DUI with serious bodily injury, one count of leaving the scene of an accident with an injury, one count of driving with a suspended license and two counts of leaving the scene of an accident with damage to property. He was eventually sentenced to 51 months in prison. 

After finally making his MLB debut with the Texas Rangers in 2016, Bush appeared in a total of 217 games with the Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers, who traded for Bush in August 2022. 

Bush made 12 appearances for the Brewers during the 2023 season, struggling with a 9.58 ERA. He was released by the team in July 2023. Bush signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers organization after his release from Milwaukee, but never returned to the MLB.