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Police: Former Met Lenny Dykstra Threatened To Kill Uber Driver Who Wouldn't Update Destination

LINDEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - A former New York Met has been arrested and charged after allegedly threatening to kill an Uber driver who would not update his destination.

Lenny Dykstra, 55, was arrested outside Linden Police Headquarters just before 3:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Dykstra played as a center fielder for the New York Mets from 1985 to 1989 and the Philadelphia Phillies from 1989 to 1996.

According to Linden police, Dykstra reportedly tried to change his driving destination, and when the Uber driver refused, the former ballplayer put a weapon to the driver's head and threatened to kill him.

The driver, reportedly a 47-year-old Roselle, N.J. resident, sped into a parking garage and began beeping his car horn until making an abrupt stop in front of police headquarters.

Police say the driver ran from his car and told police about Dykstra's threats, but no weapons were found.

Police say they did find "a quantity of cocaine, MDMA and marijuana among Dykstra's belongings," according to the police report.

"I think it was a very good response from the Uber driver. I think he took appropriate action, given the situation. I'm sure he did not know whether or not his life was in real jeopardy or not," Linden Mayor Derek Armstread told CBS2's Dave Carlin.

Dykstra is charged with 3rd degree making of terroristic threats and various drug offenses. He was released pending a court appearance in June.

In the past, he's talked openly about problems, including a drunk driving crash and arrest, a sexual harassment arrest and charges of indecent exposure.

Dykstra's autobiography, House of Nails: A Memoir of Life on the Edge, was released in 2016 and is described by the publisher as "a tragicomic tale of Shakespearean proportions" about his baseball history, failed businesses and months spent in a California prison in 2013.

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