MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) _ Miami Heat forward James Posey was arrested early Monday on a drunken driving charge after an officer pulled him over for stopping in the middle of a road.

Posey had stopped his car on a double-lane Miami Beach road, talking to occupants of other vehicles and pedestrians, police said.

Once out of the car, Posey displayed ``bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and an odour of an alcoholic beverage on his breath,'' the police report said. The player also was unsteady on his feet and swayed while standing, police said.

Posey was arrested and taken to Miami-Dade County jail. He was being held on US$1,000 bond.

The Heat declined immediate comment. The team is scheduled to practise Monday morning before flying to Charlotte for a game there Tuesday. It's unknown if Posey would be on the travelling roster.

Posey, in the final year of his contract, is making about $6.4 million this season with the defending champion Heat.

It was the second DUI arrest involving a Heat player in Miami Beach this season. Rookie Robert Hite was charged in January, but that was later dropped when tests showed Hite's blood alcohol level well within legal limits.

The Heat decided after the arrest Hite should take some time away from the team, and ultimately released him. He is playing in South Dakota with an NBA Development League club.