Legally Reviewed by Shazam Kianpour on August 20, 2026
Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts, was arrested on DUI and drug charges after a police officer stopped him driving slowly, without using turn signals, near his suburban Indianapolis home. According to reports at the time, he reportedly failed more than one roadside sobriety test before being taken into custody, and officials said drugs, reportedly Schedule IV controlled substances such as those found in medications like Xanax, Ambien, and Darvocet, were found in his vehicle. He was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance as well as driving under the influence.
At Shazam Kianpour & Associates, we revisit cases involving well-known figures because the legal issues at stake, felony drug possession combined with a DUI allegation, are the same ones we see in cases involving clients who are not in the public eye.
How Combined DUI and Drug Possession Charges Are Treated in Colorado
When a DUI stop also turns up a controlled substance, prosecutors typically pursue the drug possession charge and the impaired driving charge separately, even though they arise from the same traffic stop. In Colorado, driving under the influence of drugs is charged and prosecuted much like an alcohol-related DUI, but the evidence supporting it looks different. Instead of a breath test result, prosecutors often rely on drug recognition evaluations, blood tests, and the officer’s observations from field sobriety testing to establish impairment.
Understanding Schedule IV Controlled Substance Charges
Schedule IV substances under federal and Colorado drug schedules include certain prescription medications that carry a lower potential for abuse than Schedule I through III substances but are still tightly regulated. Possessing a Schedule IV substance without a valid prescription can be charged as a felony in Colorado depending on the quantity involved, and having a valid prescription for a controlled substance is a defense that depends heavily on documentation and the specific facts of how the medication was stored and transported.
Why These Cases Often Involve More Than One Legal Issue
A traffic stop that produces both a DUI allegation and a drug possession charge creates two separate cases that still have to be defended together, since evidence from one charge, such as statements made during the stop or the results of field sobriety testing, can affect how the other charge plays out. A defense strategy has to account for both the constitutional basis for the stop itself and the specific evidentiary issues tied to each individual charge.
What Happens When a Public Figure Faces These Charges
Cases involving well-known individuals often draw public commentary about underlying personal struggles, including substance abuse, long before any court proceeding resolves the legal questions at issue. That public conversation is separate from the criminal case itself, which still turns on the same evidentiary standards, constitutional protections, and defense strategies that apply in any DUI or drug possession matter.
Talk to a Denver DUI and Drug Charges Defense Attorney
Facing a DUI charge alongside a drug possession allegation raises overlapping legal issues that benefit from a coordinated defense strategy rather than treating each charge in isolation. Contact our office to discuss the specific facts of your stop and the charges you are facing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Combined DUI and Drug Possession Charges
Is having a prescription a defense to a controlled substance possession charge?
A valid prescription can be a defense, but it depends on documentation matching the substance found, the quantity involved, and how the medication was stored. Prosecutors may still pursue charges if the circumstances raise questions about whether the medication was being used or possessed as prescribed.
How is impairment proven in a drug-related DUI case without a breath test?
Prosecutors typically rely on field sobriety test performance, a drug recognition evaluation by a specially trained officer, and blood test results showing the presence of a controlled substance, combined with the officer’s observations of driving behavior at the time of the stop.
Can a single traffic stop lead to more than one criminal charge?
Yes. A single stop can produce separate charges, such as DUI and controlled substance possession, that are prosecuted as distinct cases even though they arise from the same incident, which means a defense has to address the evidence supporting each charge individually.
Does being a public figure change how a DUI or drug case is prosecuted?
The legal standards and evidentiary requirements are the same regardless of a defendant’s public profile. Media attention can add pressure and public scrutiny, but the underlying case still depends on the same constitutional protections and evidence rules that apply in any DUI or drug possession matter.
About the Attorney
Denver Criminal Defense Attorney
Shazam Kianpour has represented clients in more than 10,000 criminal and traffic cases across the Denver area. He is a graduate of California Western School of Law, has been licensed in Colorado since 2004, and holds a Lead Counsel Verification in criminal law covering state felony, misdemeanor, and drunk driving defense.
Written by
Shazam KianpourDenver Criminal Defense Attorney & Founder, Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C. — Over 10,000 criminal and traffic cases handled across Colorado.