Jake Leonard 
AEW PHOTO
A criminal case in the state of Florida involving AEW star Jeff Hardy came to a close Thursday after submitting a plea of nolo contendere to all charges.
The case stems from a June 28, 2022 incident where Hardy was arrested with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol. The charge marks his third offense. He also was facing charges of driving under a suspended, canceled, or revoked license, and driving with a restricted license.
Hardy plead not guilty to the DUI charge, which would have resulted in a five-year prison sentence. The other pending charges were misdemeanor charges.
Hardy’s attorney filed a motion on Tuesday to suppress the breathalyzer test results from his arrest. The attorney deemed the results unreliable.
In addition, his attorney claimed that the Intoxilyzer that was used did not pass inspection by the Florida Highway Patrol a month before Hardy was arrested. Furthermore, the claim states that it is in violation of a Florida Department of Law Enforcement rule governing that such equipment must be “inspected by an agency inspector at least once each calendar month.”
The nolo contendere resolution marks the conclusion of an eight-month case riddled with delays. The plea means Hardy agrees to accept punishment, but neither confirms nor denies their responsibility for the manner in which they were charged.
Wrestling Observer notes that Hardy’s license will be suspended for the next ten years. In addition, he is also receiving 38 days credit for time served in the Volusia County jail as a part of his sentencing. The Observer report speculates that those days come from spending time in rehab.
Hardy will also have to pay $4,586 in fines and court costs, spend time in a court-mandated DUI school or drug rehabilitation program, and perform an undetermined amount of community service among other conditions.
Upon his arrest, AEW president Tony Khan suspended Hardy without pay. Hardy will only be allowed to return to AEW upon the successful completion of rehabilitation treatment as well as maintaining his sobriety.
Currently, there is no indication whether Hardy is returning to wrestling or a potential target return date.
