Former Bill, Ruben Brown charged with DWI

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Former Bills Guard Ruben Brown is charged with DWI, speeding and following too closely, following an accident late Friday night. Police say he rear-ended another vehicle on Abbott Road in Orchard Park, which then flipped over.

"I had thought someone hit my house. It was a loud boom..."

That's how one witness, who wanted to remain anonymous, describes the crash, which happened not far from where Brown used to dazzle fans on the field of Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Jeremy Haefner was in the parking lot of Kettles, across the street, when "I heard a loud 'boom!' And I turned, and the truck was literally just starting to roll over."

The crash t happened around 11:20 Friday night, on Abbott Road at Richmond Avenue.

"An S-10 Blazer was upside-down, and a white Ranger Rover was in the middle of the road, with glass everywhere and smoke everywhere," recalls the first witness.

"It was scary," Hafner adds. "I thought somebody was seriously hurt."

Both men say they ran first to help the driver of the overturned SUV, and then to check on Brown.

"I ran up to the car that was upside-down first. And there was a younger kid in his early 20s trying to get out. I helped him out and backed him away from the vehicle... not knowing if -- you know, the fluids were leaking all over -- if something was gonna start on fire," the first witness tells News 4.

According to Hamburg Police, the other driver suffered only minor injuries.

To Haefner, Brown seemed visibly intoxicated.

"He smelled like alcohol, real bad. And he was slurring. I was just mad. I called the cops right away, and I told them, 'The guy seems drunk.' I didn't even know who he was at the moment."

The witnesses also say Brown appeared distraught, and was extremely apologetic.

"He asked me if I was in the vehicle. I said 'No, I've just seen it.' And he was like, 'Oh man, I'm really sorry. I didn't even see [the other vehicle]," says Haefner.

"I know he's a pillar of the community. I've had the privilege of meeting him a a few times. He was great to my kids, he was great to me. But I don't care if you're President Obama. You drink and drive... if you're gonna do the crime, you should do the time," the other witness says.

Saturday evening, Brown tweeted : "I have to apologize to everyone. I will have to work hard to regain the respect you gave me. Thankful everyone is alive."

Fans tweeted back words of encouragement. "Everyone makes mistakes. Maybe someone else will learn from yours," one wrote.

"Glad nobody was hurt, too," tweeted another. "Learn from it and spread the word."