Bess, best known as a former player with the Miami Dolphins, is behind bars today in Maricopa County, Arizona, and facing three felony charges after the strange situation.
Bess was pulled over shortly after midnight Monday in Gilbert, Arizona. However, he fled in his car rather than deal with the officer. According to the Arizona Republic, police later found Bess driving around his neighborhood, but he then barricaded himself in his car.
Eventually, Bess exited the car and made a dash into his home. He refused to let police enter and barricaded himself in the home. A SWAT team eventually obtained a warrant and entered the home.
The nearly five-hour affair ended at 4:45 in the morning, when Bess was taken into custody.
He now faces charges of endangerment, felony flight, and failure to stop for a police officer.
Bess had an odd journey to the NFL. A high-school standout in his native Oakland, Bess secured a football scholarship at Oregon State University. However, the offer was rescinded after Bess was sentenced to 21 months in juvenile detention. He had allowed a friend to store stolen goods in his car.
A high-school coach passed off a tape to a friend on the University of Hawaii's football staff, and Bess got a chance to attend the school after release. The wide receiver racked up school records and national notice on the WAC team but failed to be drafted.
In 2008, the Miami Dolphins signed Bess as an undrafted free agent. Due to a teammate's injury, Bess would assume starting duties late into his rookie season. He stayed with the Fins until 2012, when the team traded him to Cleveland. He lasted only a single season with the Browns.
His time in the NFL ended when the Browns placed him on the reserve/nonfootball illness list a day after he posted a photo himself on Twitter with what was believed to be marijuana. As it turned out, earlier that year, Bess has also been involuntarily hospitalized by family members.
Just weeks later, in January 2014, Bess was arrested at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The football player was spotted walking around the airport with his pants repeatedly falling down. An officer approached Bess, but the situation soon became violent. He threw a coffee cup at an officer, took off his shirt, and assumed a fighting stance. It took six sheriff's deputies to restrain him. During the confrontation, Bess shouted, "Where is my weed?" and "Hide the guns."
Bess never played professional football again and had mostly kept a low profile.
However, he remained occasionally active on social media. Over the past few days, he's posted several tweets ruminating on his eventual death.
This is me talking.... One X
— The One X (@davonebess) June 16, 2016
I fear no man or evil... Been a dead man since birth, 4 those of you who don't believe in GOD, I hope I help!
whom ever cashes that insurance policy on my life will regret it!
— The One X (@davonebess) June 16, 2016
My "wife" & "family" already know that I don't want a service. Cremate me n put me in the soil where I belong! My spirit will live 4 eva!
— The One X (@davonebess) June 16, 2016
