PHOENIX -- Charles Barkley is taking a leave of absence from the broadcast booth.
The announcement by Turner Sports came Friday, hours after police said the 45-year-old former NBA star was legally drunk when police arrested him Dec. 31 on suspicion of drunken driving in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Test results show Barkley had a blood-alcohol level at .149, nearly twice the legal limit of .08 in Arizona.
While waiting for results of the blood test, TNT considered suspending Barkley if the results showed his blood-alcohol content was over the legal limit, a source told ESPN.com.
Barkley will be off the air for a minimum of several weeks and no return date has been set, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss it.
"I have spoken with Charles Barkley regarding the incident. .. and I understand he has hired a lawyer to represent him regarding this matter," said David Levy, president of TNT Sports, in a statement. "When I spoke with Charles, he was apologetic for the events that transpired and it was obvious he understands the significance of the situation. This is an important time for Charles as he deals with the legal and personal issues that confront him. Charles is a valued part of the Turner Sports organization and we are concerned for his well-being."
A Gilbert officer working a regional DUI task force stopped Barkley shortly after he left a popular nightclub at about 1:30 a.m. He failed field sobriety tests but was cooperative.
Barkley was booked and released at a field command post and later issued a statement saying he was disappointed he put himself in that situation.
Barkley's attorney wasn't immediately available for comment Friday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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