Andrew Paul Tahmooressi, the Marine reservist who made international headlines during his seven-month imprisonment in Mexico, has been released from a Georgia jail, where he was held Wednesday night.
Tahmooressi was arrested in Twin City, Georgia, on Wednesday for “driving under the influence, reckless driving, improper passing and an open container violation,” according to a statement from Emanuel County Sheriff J. Tyson Stephens.
A spokesman for the family confirmed Tahmooressi’s release, saying his client, “is very appreciative of the professionalism of the involved Sheriff’s Department during the course of his custody.”
Jonathan Franks said Tahmooressi “continues to struggle with PTSD” and that this incident must be seen in that context.
Tahmooressi made news around the world after his arrest on March 31, 2014, at a Tijuana, Mexico, checkpoint.
Mexican customs agents found three firearms in his truck, including a .45-caliber pistol, a pump shotgun and an AR-15 rifle. The country’s strict federal gun laws prohibit anyone from illegally bringing weapons into the country.
Tahmooressi maintained that he took a wrong turn on the California side of the border into Tijuana and accidentally crossed the border.
In November, after 214 days, he was freed. A Mexican court said it found no cause to prosecute Tahmooressi on charges of carrying two firearms used exclusively by the military, possessing cartridges used exclusively by the military and carrying a firearm without a license
The court also recommended he be treated for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Tahmooressi was held overnight in Twin City, about 180 miles southeast of Atlanta. He was released after posting a $4000 property bond.