John Racener Breaks Silence on DUI Arrest
Five days after being arrested in Tampa, Florida, on charges of DUI and refusing a DUI test, embattled poker pro John Racener has released a statement about the arrest.
Commenting via his Twitter account, at www.twitter.com/racener , early Thursday morning, Racener wrote: "I am very upset by my actions of recent days. I should have known better. But there is no time like the present to turn things around. I am getting help and feel stronger already. I want to thank all of you for your support, especially Full Tilt Poker for their continued faith in me and their assistance in helping me realize that my actions impact others."
The statement by Racener, who is a paid shill for online poker room Full Tilt Poker (www.fulltiltpoker.com), may be in response to queries from Gambling911.com.
Shortly before he released the statement on Twitter, Gambling911.com had phoned him and, reaching his voicemail, had left a message requesting a comment about the arrest.
In other developments, Racener has removed from his Facebook fan page two negative comments about the arrest that were made by fans and reported by Gambling911.com.
"Damn, dude, call a limo!!" was posted by a fan named Larry Cumiskey, while "All that money and can't hire someone to drive your drunk ass around????! Pathetic!" was posted by a fan named Larry Grimm II.
However, a third negative comment about the bust has now been posted on Racener's Facebook fan page and, for the time being, remains.
A fan named Adam Greear posted: "Dude, how about thanking the officer who potentially saved your life and the life of innocent people that night, since you apparently couldn't walk and blew through a stop sign? Thanking full tilt poker? My lord man, drop your own agenda for 2 seconds. I really hope you get the help you need. Good luck & God Bless man."
Racener also has his own website, at www.johnracener.com .
On that website is a press section devoted to newspaper articles and television news reports about him, but so far, no media reports about the arrest appear on the site.
Racener, 24, came in second in the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event, earning $5.5 million.
He's earned more than $7 million in his career.
Last week's DUI arrest was his third arrest for DUI since 2005.
He's also been arrested for brawling at the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, where's he's been banned for life.
By Tom Somach
Gambling911.com Staff Writer
