DENVER -- Broncos Pro Bowl linebacker Elvis Dumervil has been cited for assault and disturbing the peace for an alleged run-in with a security guard at Invesco Field.
Denver court records show the reported incident happened Oct. 24 following the Broncos' 59-14 loss to the Oakland Raiders.
Dumervil's lawyer, Harvey Steinberg, told The Associated Press the linebacker forgot his credentials, and a guard wouldn't allow him into a players' parking lot, despite Dumervil showing his driver's license.
Steinberg said Thursday that it was a simple disagreement and it's "unfair Elvis is being villainized." The incident was first reported by Denver's KDVR-TV.
"Elvis was never arrested, simply given a ticket. He was never handcuffed or had a mug shot," Steinberg said. "It was a simple disagreement. That's what this is. We hope the prosecution reviews it, finds no reason to go forward and dismisses it."
Dumervil already appeared in court once and is set to appear again Jan. 11.
"Disturbing the peace? Hard to believe you can disturb the peace with 75,000 people there," Steinberg said of the incident.
Dumervil, who led the NFL with 17 sacks in 2009, has been out all season after ripping a chest muscle during training camp.
This has been quite a tumultuous season for the Broncos (3-11).
Earlier this month, coach Josh McDaniels was fired with the squad mired in the worst slump in four decades. The team also has been embroiled in a videotaping scandal, sullying the image of the organization.
Away from the field, three Broncos players have been arrested.
Kevin Alexander was arrested earlier this week and pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and battery stemming from an allegation of a domestic dispute over alleged infidelity. The Broncos released the rookie linebacker hours after the arrest, calling it a football decision to clear a roster spot for cornerback Chevis Jackson.
Rookie cornerback Perrish Cox was arrested in a sexual-assault case. The alleged assault was reported a few days after Cox was knocked out of the Oct. 24 game against the Raiders with a concussion. Court documents say the alleged assault happened Sept. 6.
Linebacker D.J. Williams was stripped of his captaincy after his October arrest on suspicion of drunken driving.
"The off-field conduct is something we take very, very seriously," said Broncos interim coach Eric Studesville, whose team hosts the Houston Texans on Sunday. "We've never downplayed that. We hold every person in this organization, coaches, players, staff, to a high standard of conduct away from this building as they represent this organization.
"The situations that have come up, we've complied with every fact-finding opportunity there is. We've cooperated in every way that we can, to gather the facts."
Is Studesville disturbed by the number of arrests?
"My job is to coach football," he said. "Those things that happen, we're going to comply with everything and we're going to help with it. My job is to focus on getting this team ready for the Houston Texans."
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
