Aldon Smith arrested on DUI hit-and-run charges

SAN JOSE - SAN JOSE, Calif.  (KTVU and wires) – Just days after San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said the team wanted to sign Aldon Smith to a long-term contract, the troubled star linebacker was back in jail early Friday.

According to Santa Clara County Department of Corrections, Smith was booked into the county jail early Friday and being held on $26,000 bail.

Outside of the jail, Smith denied the DUI charge.

"Justice will be served -- the truth will come out," he told KTVU Fox 2 as he walked out of jail. "There's no DUI. I'm sorry for the way this whole thing -- I want everybody to understand the situation that happened could have been handled differently."

"I apologize to everyone I have let down. I apologize for how it all played out. It will work out how it is supposed to work out."

Santa Clara Police Department tweeted out that Smith was arrested Thursday night  on hit-and-run, DUI and vandalism charges, More information will be provided later Friday.

With the retirements of Justin Smith, Chris Borland and Patrick Willis and the departure of Ray McDonald due to legal issues, Aldon Smith was expected to play an even greater role for the 49ers defense this season.

It was the 12th arrest of a 49ers player since 2012, the most in the NFL over that time span.

Smith, who when at his best is one of the game's top pass-rushers, is entering a contract year after missing the first nine games of 2014 serving an NFL suspension for violations of the league's substance-abuse and personal-conduct policies.

In spring 2014, the 49ers exercised their 2015 option for Smith, but Baalke made it clear they would be no-nonsense regarding his off-field issues.

Then this past March, Smith restructured his contract into a more incentive-laden, team-friendly deal that gives the 49ers room if he were to get in legal trouble again.

Smith missed time the previous season to undergo treatment at an inpatient facility following his DUI arrest on Sept. 20, 2013. That November, he pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of illegal possession of an assault weapon, stemming from a June 2012 party at his home.

Smith was arrested on April 13, 2014, at Los Angeles International Airport. Police said Smith was randomly selected for a secondary screening and became uncooperative with the process,