Former 49er Harris arrested on hit-and-run, officer assault charges

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) -- Former San Francisco 49er and Oakland Raider player Kwame Harris faces some serious criminal charges Monday after being arrested Sunday evening for several hit-and-run crashes and allegedly trying to bite an officer's hand while under the influence of drugs, according to authorities.

San Francisco police arrested Harris Sunday Night on allegations that he struck several cars and assaulted an officer by trying to bite him while under the influence of drugs.

Police said it was a miracle no one was hurt in this series of hit-and-run incidents allegedly committed by the former pro football player.

San Francisco Police said a bystander Sunday evening spotted the 33- year-old Harris slumped behind the wheel of his Audi.

It was half parked in a chained driveway near 14th Street and South Van Ness Avenue.

Police say they quickly connected the car to two earlier crimes.

"It turns out the car was the same car that was involved in two hit and run incidents, said San Francisco Police Department spokeswoman Officer Grace Gatpandan. One at Hyde Street and Broadway in the Central District as well as on the 1700 block of Harrison, where the vehicle collided with an RV."

No one was injured in those incidents, but police say the former 49er and Oakland Raider assaulted an officer attempting to remove him from his car.

"They attempted to handcuff him at which point the suspect did attempt to bite the officer in the hand, said Gatpandan. Thankfully, the officer was not hurt."

The Stanford University grad played for the Niners from 2003 to 2007 before briefly playing for the Raiders in 2008.

In early 2013, Harris became one of a handful of NFL players to come out as gay after retiring. Later that year, he was convicted on misdemeanor counts of domestic violence, stemming from an assault against an ex-boyfriend.

He had a court date set for this Friday in San Mateo County, to begin the probation process.

This, afternoon Harris' attorney said "Mr. Harris is requesting to have some privacy now until we can figure out exactly what happened."

Harris was booked on felony assault of an officer, misdemeanor hit and run and misdemeanor driving under the influence of drugs.

He bailed out of the county jail Monday afternoon on a $146,000 bond.

No court date has been set for arraignment.