Former major league pitcher Dwight Gooden was arrested in New Jersey in early June for cocaine possession, according to multiple reports Friday.
Gooden was pulled over by the Holmdel Police Department on June 7 when he was traveling too slow and failing to maintain his lane on the highway. During the stop, police found "two small green zip-lock style plastic baggies containing suspected cocaine," according to the criminal complaint filed by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.
Gooden was charged with third-degree possession of a controlled substance, driving under the influence and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Gooden is scheduled to appear in court on July 23.
The former star has long been plagued by drug issues.
Gooden, now 54, tested positive for cocaine in 1987 when he was a star pitcher for the New York Mets. He missed the entire 1995 season after being suspended for another failed drug test.
In 2006, Gooden spent eight months in prison after showing up under the influence of a controlled substance at a meeting with his probation officer. Four years later, he was arrested for driving under the influence of a controlled substance in New Jersey with his 5-year-old son in the car.
Gooden went 194-112 with a 3.51 ERA in 16 seasons. He was a four-time All-Star -- all in his first five seasons.
Gooden won the National League Cy Young Award at age 20 in his second big league season when he went 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA and had eight shutouts for the Mets in 1985.
He spent 11 seasons with the Mets. After his year-long suspension, he spent time with the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Houston Astros.
--Field Level Media OLUSSPORT Reuters US Online Report Sports News 20190712T205251+0000