Randy Moss jailed briefly for bumping traffic cop

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

I bet he put more effort into this than 1/2 his catches Sunday afternoon...

 

http://www.jsonline.com/packer/ap/sep02/ap...s-mos092402.asp

 

MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota Vikings receiver Randy Moss was arrested Tuesday after being accused of bumping a traffic control agent with his car.

 

The 27-year-old agent stepped in front of Moss to stop him from making an illegal turn in downtown Minneapolis, and Moss used his car to slowly push the officer a half-block along the street, stopping when she fell to the ground, police spokeswoman Cyndi Barrington said.

 

Barrington said the agent, a city employee but not a police officer, was not seriously hurt.

 

Moss was in jail on suspicion of assault with a dangerous weapon, a felony. Barrington said the county attorney would consider charges Wednesday, and it was unclear whether Moss would be allowed to post bail Tuesday night.

 

``He's going to be treated like anybody else,'' Barrington said.

 

The Vikings issued a statement Tuesday night that said the team wouldn't comment about the incident until it had gathered more information.

 

Vikings coach Mike Tice also said he couldn't comment until he knew more.

 

``I'm still trying to figure out what's going on,'' Tice said.

 

Jerry Hullerman, 46, said he was parked near the intersection.

 

``I saw a really decked-out Lexus pushing the traffic person along,'' said Hullerman, who was also interviewed by police. ``It was really surreal.''

 

He said the agent was facing forward while sitting on the front of the car with one hand on the hood and the other hand on her radio as the car pushed her along.

 

After a few seconds, Hullerman said, ``she fell flat on her face,'' Hullerman said, adding that the driver didn't get out of his car.

 

Hullerman said squad cars arrived seconds later and officers took Moss into custody.

 

Moss has been in trouble before on and off the field since he was drafted in 1998. He squirted a referee with a water bottle in 1999 - which resulted in a $25,000 fine from the NFL - and abused corporate sponsors on the team bus in 2001, which resulted in the team fining him $15,000 and forcing him to attend anger management classes.

 

The Vikings are off to an 0-3 start, their worst since 1967, and Moss caught just four passes for 16 yards in Sunday's loss to Carolina.

 

The 25-year-old Moss is in his fifth year with the Vikings and is the team's highest-paid player. He signed an eight-year, $75 million contract last year.

 

He set an NFL record with 5,396 yards receiving in his first four seasons as a pro and is the only wide receiver with more than 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first four seasons. Moss has scored more touchdowns since his 1998 debut than anyone except St. Louis running back Marshall Faulk.

[Guest spliffstar]

Good ol' Randy...much as I try to like the guy, he really makes it difficult.

 

Once again, he has managed to make himself look like a spoiled brat.

[Guest MrRant]

Couldn't that be like grounds for some serious charges? Could they use assault with a luxury car as a charge?

[Guest spliffstar]

He's up for a felony charge, but I would guess this would get pleaded down to something that involves no jail time.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

"Couldn't that be like grounds for some serious charges?"

 

Personally, I think he should be charged with a hate crime against traffic cops. I'm all about hate crimes...

[Guest Choken One]

Likely, It'll blow down like A.I did but this seems more legit (I heard they have footage). But this will no doubt be the big story on Sportscenter for awhile.

[Guest DrTom]

The last I heard, he's being charged with second-degree assault, which is a felony. The witnesses are split on whether he actually intended to injure the traffic officer, but I think the fact he tried to move her by pushing her WITH HIS CAR should be the crux of the issue. That's a stupid, irresponsible, and potentially very dangerous thing to do, and Moss should be punished for being such a cretin.

[Guest jimmy no nose]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2002/0925/1436592.html

 

"MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Vikings star Randy Moss was charged with two misdemeanors Wednesday for an incident with a woman directing downtown traffic, with authorities declining a more serious felony assault charge.

 

Moss was charged with careless driving and failure to obey a traffic officer for Tuesday evening's incident. Witnesses told police he used his car to slowly push the officer a half-block when she tried to prevent him from making an illegal turn.

 

Moss initially was held by police on suspicion of felony assault for using his Lexus as a weapon.

 

Police said they found a small amount of marijuana in Moss's car, an amount that would quality as a petty misdemeanor, but no charge was immediately filed as police processed the evidence.

 

Moss was freed from the Hennepin County jail shortly before the misdemeanors were announced. He whistled as he left jail and walked through a pack of reporters.

 

"You'll hear my side later,'' Moss said. "I was treated bad.'' Questioned further about the incident, he said: "I was really confused about what I was supposed to do and what happened.''

 

Moss then went to a parking ramp across the street and followed a man up several flights of stairs to a van. After appearing to retrieve some things from the van, he walked back down the stairs and across the street to a waiting car and took off.

 

Moss's arrest could keep him out of the team's game Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Coach Mike Tice said he wouldn't make a decision until talking with Moss, his attorney and his agent.

 

Police spokeswoman Cyndi Barrington said Moss used his car to slowly push the traffic agent along the street, stopping when she fell to the ground.

 

Barrington said 27-year-old Amy Zaccardi -- a city employee but not a police officer -- was not seriously hurt. Witnesses called the situation "surreal'' but said it was clear Moss did not intend to hurt Zaccardi.

 

Moss, who has a history of trouble on and off the field, was arrested early Tuesday night on suspicion of assault with a dangerous weapon, a felony.

 

Tice said he spoke briefly with Moss before he was released.

 

"I can't go any further than to say I'm disappointed,'' Tice said.

 

NFL policy requires mandatory "evaluation'' for any player charged with a criminal offense. Any disciplinary action would follow a conviction or guilty plea.

 

Jerry Hullerman said he was parked near the intersection when he saw Moss driving his car.

 

"I saw a really decked-out Lexus pushing the traffic person along,'' said Hullerman, who was also interviewed by police. "It was really surreal.''

 

He said Zaccardi was facing forward while sitting on the front of the car with one hand on the hood and the other hand on her radio as the car pushed her along.

 

After a few seconds, Hullerman said, the man in the car tapped the accelerator and knocked her down.

 

"She fell flat on her face,'' Hullerman said, adding that the driver didn't get out of his car.

 

Hullerman said squad cars arrived seconds later and officers took Moss into custody.

 

"(Moss) was going really slow,'' said Robert Nelson, another witness. "Apparently, he didn't want to hurt her. I think he was just trying to frighten her into moving.''

 

Moss has been in trouble before. He squirted a referee with a water bottle in 1999 -- which resulted in a $25,000 fine from the NFL -- and verbally abused corporate sponsors on the team bus in 2001. The last infraction resulted in the team fining him $15,000 and forcing him to attend anger management classes.

 

He had a scholarship revoked by Notre Dame in 1995 after being charged with beating up a high school classmate in Rand, W.Va. Moss pleaded guilty to battery and was sentenced to 30 days in jail. He was allowed to defer most of the sentence until after his freshman year in college.

 

He went to Florida State, where he redshirted his freshman season but was kicked off the team for violating probation by smoking marijuana. That got him a one-year jail sentence, which was reduced to about one month of time served.

 

Virtually out of chances, Moss walked on at Marshall and quickly became a star.

 

The 25-year-old Moss is in his fifth year with the Vikings and is the team's highest-paid player. He signed an eight-year, $75 million contract last year.

 

He set an NFL record with 5,396 yards receiving in his first four seasons as a pro and is the only wide receiver with more than 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first four seasons. Moss has scored more touchdowns since his 1998 debut than anyone except St. Louis running back Marshall Faulk.

 

The Vikings are off to an 0-3 start, their worst since 1967, and Moss caught just four passes for 16 yards in Sunday's loss to Carolina."

 

No felony charges, no jail time, the usual celebrity stuff.

[Guest phoenixrising]

Figures. No way to be surprised about this.

 

And I will bet Tice will find a way to get Moss into the game, and the sentence will be suspended till the end of the season or something. I wouldn't be surprised.

[Guest Human Fly]

I love how the Vikings are handling this. Way to lay down the law with your star player. I can hear Mike Tice now: "Randy you pushed a traffic officer for about a block with your car, and had marijuana on you, add that to the fact that you were visibly dogging it during the game last week. I'm going to have to...........................I can't stay mad at you you'r starting Sunday when we play on ESPN pal!"

[Guest phoenixrising]

Or he'll use the time honored "he won't start" ploy, where the player doesn't play the opening series, then comes in for the rest of the games.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Moss was charged with careless driving and failing to obey a traffic officer.

 

I'm not a Moss fan but maybe the case for a felony wasn't that strong. It might of been his celebrity status but the media does of a tendancy to blow things out of porportion.

 

When has Moss clearly dogged it this season. Because Sean "the Asshole" Salisbury said he was. Seeing almost all of the Vikings games this season the effort's only been in question a few times. Randy Moss shouldn't be blamed for the Vikings sucking. It's terrible playcalling and Daunte Culpepper.

[Guest DrTom]

It's a farce that Moss wasn't charged with a felony. District attorneys need to grow some stones when dealing with athletes: charge the ungrateful fuckheads with as much as you can, since the charges can be reduced in court or a plea agreement reached.

 

Randy Moss shouldn't be blamed for the Vikings sucking.

Of course he should. He's a cancer in their clubhouse. Furthermore, he made a lot of statements that, if the offense were based around him, the team would win. Mike Tice basically did that, and the team still sucks. Moss is obscenely talented, but he's an immature jackass who hasn't learned that everyone still has to work for success in pro sports.

 

4 catches for 16 yards = shut the fuck up, Randy.

[Guest Mad Dog]

If I were a coach and one of my players did that they'd be cut the second I heard about. Star player or not it's inexcusable behavior.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

He's starting on Sunday!! WTF!!!

[Guest Mad Dog]

It's what I'd expect from a classless organization like the Vikings. Well at least this is a classless move.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Oh well, at least he didn't slit his ex-wife's and her friend's throat with a knife...

[Guest Vern Gagne]

4 catches for 16 yards = shut the fuck up, Randy.

Did you even see the game, every pass to Moss was a slant pattern for about 4 yards with 3 defenders around him. Throw the ball down field to the guy, chances are good you'll either complete the pass or at least draw interference. Randy Mossi's strength is his speed, why aren't they utliizing it. The Randy Ratio is bullshit and that IMO has more to do with Mike Tice than anyone. Getting the ball too your best player doesn't mean using him wrong.

 

This seems to be a bigger story on ESPN than it is locally.

[Guest DrTom]

It's also Moss' responsibility, particularly as an elite and incredibly talented receiver, to get open when his routes take him down the field. He also needs to signal to his quarterback that he's open, or inform him of coverages in the huddle. Culpepper and Tice aren't the only ones to blame for Moss' paltry output.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

That's was problem in Sunday's game the routes never took him down the field.

 

It should be quality use of Moss and not Quantity use of Moss which basically what it's been this year.