Charles Barkley Was Over the Legal Limit, Has Taken a Leave of Absence from TNT

It was tough to take the recent incident between Charles Barkley and the police seriously, even though it was in fact a DUI arrest. Once the juicy details about what exactly Charles was up to that caused him to run a stop sign and get pulled over were revealed, the whole thing pretty much became a joke. I guarantee you that at this point though, Barkley isn't laughing.

Barkley's immediate career has been placed on hold as a result of the incident, as he will be taking a leave of absence from his broadcasting duties at TNT. Turner Sports president David Levy's comments on the matter are as follows:

"I have spoken with Charles Barkley regarding the incident. ... 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."

You have to wonder if the details of Barkley's comments to the police, combined with the report that his blood alcohol level came back at a ridiculous .149 forced TNT's hand in (undoubtedly) making Charles take this leave. As you may recall, the last time Charles got himself into an embarrassing situation, all that the network required was an awkward, uncomfortable on-camera apology.

More From TMZ: Listen to audio of Barkley's failed sobriety test, and him refusing to take a breath test for police.