49ers fans may remember Williams as a member of general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan's first draft class in 2017. San Francisco selected him in the fourth round after Shanahan made it clear he was determined to land the running back.
"I'm telling you right now: If we don't get him, I'll be sick," Shanahan told Lynch the night before the selection. "I will be contemplating Joe Williams all night."
Lynch initially wasn't interested in drafting Williams, but Shanahan's persistence eventually convinced him to change his mind.
Williams never appeared in a regular-season game for the 49ers. He spent his rookie season on injured reserve with an ankle injury before San Francisco waived him on August 31, 2018.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, officers initially stopped Williams Wednesday over a possible traffic violation. Authorities subsequently discovered he had an outstanding felony warrant for receiving stolen property.
Williams allegedly refused to surrender and fled, prompting a pursuit. Authorities eventually apprehended him and arrested him on suspicion of receiving stolen property, resisting or obstructing an officer, vandalism, trespassing, and violating the terms of probation or supervised release.
Williams is scheduled to appear in court on November 2.
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