Lewis was a guest at the hotel, but the lobby doors can only be opened with a key after midnight. Both men were intoxicated at the time, according to Smith.
Lewis, 21, and his brother, 35, were charged with felony counts of falsely reporting a fire and misdemeanor reckless endangerment of property, both of which are at the low end of those crime classifications, Smith said.
Lewis was released after his arraignment on Sunday, while his brother is still being held. Lewis issued the following statement on Monday afternoon:
"I want to apologize to my family, the Albany community, the Eagles organization and fans, and to the NFL for my involvement in an incident this past weekend. It was never my intention to cause any public alarm or damage any property. I am sorry for any embarrassment and inconvenience that my actions have caused. I am committed to continuing to conduct myself in conformance with the high moral, ethical and professional standards that I have my entire life and of which so many others rightly expect of me. Because the matter is still in the hands of the court system, I cannot comment any further."
He is due in court Wednesday.
The Eagles also released a statement about the incident on Monday:
"We are aware of the incident involving Dion Lewis over the weekend in Albany and have since spoken to Dion and his representatives about it. They have a good understanding of the serious nature of this matter and understand the embarrassment it caused to not only himself, but the entire organization. Because it is a pending legal matter, we will have no further comment at this point."
Lewis, entering his second NFL season, is expected to serve as the primary backup to running back LeSean McCoy and is the favorite to continue his role as the team's kick returner.
The Eagles drafted Bryce Brown in the seventh round and signed undrafted free agent Chris Polk, but neither is expected to challenge Lewis for the No. 2 job behind McCoy. The Eagles' front office has expressed confidence in the team's depth at running back this offseason, implying a veteran addition is unlikely.
In 15 games as a rookie last year, Lewis, a University of Pittsburgh product, totaled 102 yards on 23 carries and one touchdown and had limited success as a return man. He grew up in Albany, where he attended Albany High and Albany Academy before transferring to Blair Academy in New Jersey.
Contact Alex Lee at leea@phillynews.com.
