Crocs Co-Founder Accused of DUI, Blames Taylor Swift - East Idaho News
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Crocs Co-Founder Accused of DUI, Blames Taylor Swift

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081412 CrocsFounder?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1344980206937Boulder County Sheriff’s Office(BOULDER, Colo.) — When Crocs footwear co-founder George Boedecker Jr. was confronted by Colorado police for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, officers said he became “verbally abusive” and blamed the situation on Taylor Swift, whom he said was his girlfriend.

Police responded to a Boulder, Colo., street Saturday evening when a witness reported that a man was “passed out and slumped over behind the wheel of his running vehicle, parked on roadway and sidewalk,” according to a copy of the police report, obtained by ABC News.

When Boulder Police arrived at the scene, according to the report, they found Boedecker, 51, outside of his car, a black Porsche Carrera. The police report also noted that Boedecker was wearing flip-flops, but did not specify whether they were Crocs.

A witness told police that she had been driving by when she noticed Boedecker passed out in his car. The woman told officers she approached the car and knocked on the window, but the driver did not initially respond, according to the report. When the ambulance arrived, Boedecker shut off the car, got out and began to walk away, the witness said.

“[The witness] stated that Boedecker initially told her that he had just pulled over to take a nap,” Boulder police officer Patrick Vest wrote in the police report. “She stated that he changed his story to her a few times, later claiming that his girlfriend was driving, and described her as ‘bat—t crazy,'” according to the report.

As Vest finished his conversation with the witness, he wrote in the report, he noticed that Boedecker was beginning to get in his vehicle and Vest asked him to come speak to him.

“At this point, I had observed a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath and person,” Vest wrote. “I also heard him slurring his words. I also observed that Boedecker had unsteady balance. Boedecker appeared to me to be very intoxicated.”

Vest asked Boedecker for his driver’s license and noted that he fumbled as he removed it from a money clip, according to the report. Vest wrote that Boedecker “admitted to drinking ‘cocktails’ at a benefit.'”

When Vest asked Boedecker what his address was, Boedecker replied, “I have 17 f—ing homes,” according to the police report.

Boedecker told Vest that his girlfriend had driven them to this location and that she got out of the car and ran off after an argument, according to the report.

“He also stated that he had not driven, as he knew that wouldn’t be right,” Vest wrote.

Boedecker denied the witness’ account that he was passed out in the driver’s seat with the engine on when she found him, according to the report.

“I also began to ask about his girlfriend, and her [sic] whereabouts,” Vest wrote. “Boedecker began to tell me that she was ‘really f—ing famous’ and a singer. He then asked me if I knew who Taylor Swift was. I asked him where she went. Boedecker gestured casually towards a neighboring yard, and said she was in Nashville.”

Swift is dating Conor Kennedy, the grandson of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and the couple were photographed this weekend at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Mass., about 2,000 miles away. There is nothing to indicate any romantic connection between Swift and Boedecker.

Boedecker refused to participate in a voluntary roadside maneuvers test and did not cooperate when officers asked him to turn around, according to the report. They forcibly turned him around and handcuffed him.

“Boedecker began to immediately complain that this was ridiculous, and couldn’t believe we were doing this after all he had done for this city,” Vest wrote. “Boedecker remained verbally antagonistic.”

Boedecker and two friends co-founded the Niwot, Colo.-based company in 2002.

Boedecker was taken to jail where he had blood drawn and was placed in a private holding cell. He was later released on a $500 bond.

The lab results of Boedecker’s blood test could take several weeks to get back, according to the Boulder Police Department. The test will determine his blood-alcohol content.

Neither Boedecker nor the Boedecker Foundation responded to requests for comment.

Crocs spokeswoman Katy Lachky wrote in an email statement, “George Boedecker has not been a member of the company’s management team since 2005 and resigned from the board of directors in 2006. The company has no further comment on this matter.”

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