NEW YORK (AP)

NBA great Charles Barkley is taking a leave of absence from the broadcast booth.

The announcement by Turner Sports came yesterday, hours after police said the 45-year-old Hall of Famer was legally drunk when he was arrested on December 31 on suspicion of drunken driving in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Test results show Barkley had a blood-alcohol level at .149, nearly twice the legal limit of .08 in Arizona.

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 authorised to discuss it.

failed sobriety test

Barkley was stopped by a Gilbert officer working a regional DUI task force shortly after he left a popular nightclub about 1:30 a.m. He failed field sobriety tests but was cooperative.

He was booked and released at a field command post and later issued a statement saying he was disappointed he put himself in that situation.

"When I spoke with Charles, he was apologetic for the events that transpired and it was obvious he understood the significance of this situation," said David Levy, president of Turner Sports, in a statement. "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 organisation, and we are concerned for his well-being."

Barkley's attorney wasn't immediately available for comment.