Famed Russian figure skater Andrei Lutai was arrested for allegedly stealing a parked vehicle from a service garage then driving it while intoxicated while in New York for the Skate America competition.

Lutai had recently finished 9th in the figure skating World Championships. He placed 10th at the Lake Placid Skate America competition, and was arrested around 11PM the same evening as the skating event. He allegedly stole a Chevrolet Impala from a local service station while it was parked along the road.

Lutai was pulled over in front of an EconoLodge hotel. His lawyer, a United States attorney with connections to the Russian Consulate through his work representing another Russian athlete, says language barriers and other confusions caused a false arrest.

Lutai and his attorney claim the skater was never actually seen driving the stolen vehicle. They say the car was already stopped at the hotel when Lutai was spotted near the vehicle. Police have not confirmed whether they actually witnessed Lutai in the car.

Lutai was held on $100,000 bail under charges of grand larceny, DWI, unlicensed operation and other charges. His defense team says they expect all charges to be dropped.

You can watch Lutai's performance in the World Championships below: