Former CFL defensive end Alex Bazzie has been arrested in Charleston, W.V. after allegedly trying to break into an ATM.
According to a report from local news station WOWK, the 33-year-old is accused of using a pickaxe and tire iron to pry open the drive-thru ATM at the United Bank in Kanawha County at around 2:40 a.m. local time on Saturday. Police say he was able to open the exterior of the machine but failed to access the safe inside.
Bazzie has been charged with one count of entry of a building other than a dwelling and is being held on a $100,000 bond. The accusations have not been proven in court.
A native of Silver Springs, Md., Bazzie played seven seasons in the CFL, five of which came with the B.C. Lions. After arriving in Vancouver in 2014, the six-foot-one, 228-pound edge rusher racked up 29 sacks over his first three seasons, including a career-high of 11 in 2016, to earn a West Division all-star selection and a shot in the NFL.
After unsuccessful stints with the Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals, he returned to the Lions for the final six games of the 2017 season. He would join the Edmonton Elks in free agency the following offseason and spent two seasons there, before signing with the Toronto Argonauts ahead of the cancelled 2020 campaign. He wrapped up his playing career with a final stop in B.C. in 2021.
In 80 CFL games, Bazzie recorded 159 defensive tackles, 21 special teams tackles, 43 sacks and two forced fumbles.
The Marshall University product had been listed on the coaching staff of the University of Charleston, but has been removed from the Golden Eagles’ website.
