Brother of Derek Boogaard arrested

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Comments0
• Email
• Print

MINNEAPOLIS -- The brother of former Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers player Derek Boogaard, who died from a drug overdose in May, has been arrested on suspicion of possessing illegal prescription pills on the same night.

Online records showed 24-year-old Aaron Boogaard was arrested Wednesday on a narcotics charge. He was held without bail in the Hennepin County Jail in Minneapolis. His family said the arrest has "nothing to do with his brother Derek Boogaard's death."

The Star Tribune of Minneapolis reported police records list Boogaard as being arrested on suspicion of prescription fraud and possession of prescription pills. He was not immediately charged, and the Hennepin County Attorney's office has until noon Friday to charge him with a crime, according to the newspaper.

"We're still not over with what happened with Derek and we are now struggling with what is going on with Aaron, it's just unfair," Joanne Boogaard, the brothers' mother, told ESPNNewYork.com's Matt Ehalt Thursday night. "I really don't have much more to say."

Aaron Boogaard's attorney, Lindsay Sokolowski, said she had no immediate comment.

Medical examiners ruled that Derek Boogaard's death was from an accidental mix of alcohol and the painkiller oxycodone. His family issued a statement shortly after his death acknowledging that the 6-foot-7 Boogaard struggled with addiction issues.

"This is a very unfortunate circumstance and we believe Aaron is involved because he may have potential information about a larger investigation," the family said in a statement. "One thing is certain, the charges brought against Aaron have nothing to do with his brother, Derek Boogaard's death. The family continues to grieve the loss of Derek and is troubled by this turn of events, which makes the pain for the family even more difficult."

Shawn Neudauer, a spokesman with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota, said ICE placed a detainer on Aaron Boogaard, who is from Regina, Saskatchewan, meaning that immigration officials will take him into custody when he is released from the local jail.

Aaron Boogaard is also a hockey player. He was drafted by the Wild in 2004, but has bounced around various lower-level teams and has not yet appeared in the NHL.

Derek Boogaard became a fan favorite during his five years with the Minnesota Wild for his rough-and-tumble approach to the game. What he lacked in skill and goal-scoring capability he more than made up for with his fists.

He was one of the most feared fighters in the game, racking up 589 penalty minutes in 277 career games. He left the Wild for a four-year deal with the Rangers last July and scored one goal in 22 games before his season was ended by a concussion.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Comments0
• Email
• Print
• Subscribe