DALLAS — North Texas boxer Errol Spence Jr. has pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in a 2019 crash that left him seriously injured, officials said.
Spence, a world champion boxer who recovered and returned to fighting, crashed his Ferrari in the early-morning hours of Oct. 10, 2019, on South Riverfront Boulevard in Dallas.
He had been drinking with friends before deciding to drive home. His car veered over the median and flipped several times, a crash captured by nearby surveillance cameras.
Video showed Spence's Ferrari flipping several times.
Spence was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from his car. He was taken to an intensive care unit, where he was treated for serious injuries.
In a statement released through his attorneys Monday, Spence expressed regret for drinking and driving.
"As I recovered, I thought of how much I could have lost and how blessed I was to have a second chance at life, but I also know with this platform I can spread a very powerful message," Spence said. "Don’t drink and drive. Not one drink. It’s not worth it."
Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot praised Spence for speaking out about drinking and driving.
"While it would have been easier to hide from the truth, it is refreshing to see this world-class athlete step up and use his lapse in judgment as an opportunity to spread the message that it is never okay to get behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated," Creuzot said.
Spence, who is from DeSoto and competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics, is 28-0 as a pro.
He won the IBF welterweight world title in 2017 and has retained that title over six fights. He won the WBC welterweight title in 2019, shortly before his crash, and won the WBA welterweight title in a fight at AT&T Stadium in April.
