Former Phillie Lenny Dykstra Threatened To Kill Uber Driver: Cops

Phillies and Mets legend Lenny Dykstra has apparently found a new low, police said.

The famous sparkplug called "Nails" who led the Phillies and Mets to the World Series, but has had decades of legal trouble, was busted Wednesday for threatening to kill a New Jersey Uber driver, police say.

The man who hit big home runs and energized two championship baseball teams also had coke and MDMA on him, police say.

Dykstra, 55, was arrested outside Linden Police Headquarters just before 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday. It was another sad event among a long string of legal troubles for the former Phillies and Mets centerfielder.

Dykstra has filed bankruptcy after engaging in several failed business ventures. He also spent time in prison after he was convicted on bankruptcy fraud and money laundering charges, and he's admitted having problems drug addiction and steroid usage.

Dykstra, identified as a Linden resident, was arrested after officers were alerted to a vehicle that sped into an attached parking garage. The driver, identified as a 47-year-old Roselle resident, was beeping the horn repeatedly until he came to an abrupt stop in front of police headquarters, police said.

The driver ran from the car and told the officers that moments earlier he picked up Dykstra in Linden for a scheduled fare. Dykstra reportedly tried to change the destination, and when the driver refused, Dykstra allegedly put a weapon to his head and threatened to kill him, police said.

No weapon was located, but police did recover a quantity of cocaine, MDMA and marijuana among Dykstra's belongings.

Dykstra is charged with 3rd degree making of terroristic threats and various drug offenses. He was released on a summons pending an appearance in Superior Court next month.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Story by Tom Davis

Linden police photo