Tragedy struck Major League Baseball last month, when Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras passed away at the tender age of 22 in his native Dominican Republic.
Taveras was behind the wheel of a red 2014 Chevrolet Camaro in the city of Puerto Plata, about 215 miles north of the Dominican Republic capital of Santo Domingo, when his car ploughed into a tree killing him and his girlfriend.
It has now been revealed that Taveras was drunk at the time of the crash.
Legally Intoxicated
Officials in the Dominican released information today on Oscar Taveras' condition at the time of his death, reported by The Associated Press.
Tessie Sanchez, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office in the Dominican Republic, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that toxicology reports showed Taveras had a blood-alcohol level five times the legal limit when he lost control of his car Oct. 26 on a highway in Puerto Plata.
"Taveras was 'legally intoxicated when he crashed.'"
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The St. Louis Cardinals did release a statement of their own after this news was broken, with general manager John Mozeliak saying they were waiting for full confirmation of all the facts of the situation. Mozeliak also said that he will use the tragedy to try and educate players on the responsibilities they hold off the field.
Lost Talent
Taveras appeared in 80 games during the regular season and was part of the Cardinals' roster that advanced to the National League Championship Series.
He was a prospect with truly immense potential, shown by the fact that he was posting a .318 batting average for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds before getting the call up to The Show where he pinch-hit a home run in the seventh inning of Game 2 against the eventual World Series champs the Giants.
