Phoenix sports figures with legal troubles
May 3, 2013, 11:20 PM | Updated: May 4, 2013, 5:31 pm
Arizona Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington was arrested and booked on two counts of aggravated assault Friday. With Washington not being the first Phoenix sports figure to have a run-in with the law, it’s time to take a look at a few others who have:
Jason Kidd: It started with an argument regarding the feeding of their 2-year-old son in 2001. It escalated to Kidd spitting a fry into his wife Joumana’s face and then slapping her across the face while holding a yogurt container in his other hand. It ended with Kidd pleading guilty to a domestic abuse charge that resulted in six months of anger management classes for the former Suns star. The No. 2 overall pick in 1994 was traded to the New Jersey Nets by the start of the following season.
Jason Richardson: Ex-Suns shooting guard Jason Richardson’s legal issues came from behind the wheel of his automobile. First, he was arrested for driving under the influence on December 21, 2008, and again two months later. However, the second time was not for impaired driving, but for reckless driving when the two-time Slam Dunk Champion was pulled over doing 90 in a 35 mph zone, with his 3-year-old son in the back seat. Richardson was promptly suspended without pay for conduct detrimental to his team after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor speeding charges and a count of endangerment. He was also suspended by the NBA for the first two games of the 09-10 season after pleading guilty to his DUI stemming from December 2008 in the offseason.
Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway: Hardaway never served jail time nor was he charged for anything resulting out of a domestic dispute in 2000. However, Hardaway allegedly threatened and intimidated his girlfriend Latasha McCray while holding a gun at his side at their north Phoenix home. Hardaway played only four games during the 2000-01 season after recovering from a knee injury and then suffering a hand injury.
Diana Taurasi: What began as a traffic stop for speeding at 2:30 a.m. on July 2, 2009, turned into a blood test measuring the Phoenix Mercury star’s blood alcohol content. After tests showed her alcohol consumption had been twice more than the legal limit (0.17), Taurasi was ordered to serve one day in jail as punishment.
Mark Grace: The former Diamondbacks first baseman and color commentator was pulled over last August for driving with expired license-plate tags. After being pulled over, Grace was arrested on suspicion of DUI resulting in a four-month sentence at Tent City, which he is still serving time for. Grace took a leave of absence from his job in the broadcast booth the day after the incident and was fired in October. Although, he is now serving as a minor league hitting instructor with the organization.
Alberto Callaspo: Now a third baseman for the Anaheim Angels, Callaspo had his first taste of Major League play with the Diamondbacks. In 2007, his rookie year, Callaspo was suspended without pay after assaulting his wife. Charges were later dropped and Callaspo spent the rest of the season bouncing back-and-forth between the major and minor leagues before being traded to Kansas City.
Bobby Chouinard: On Christmas Day 1999, Chouinard pointed a gun at his wife’s head as she begged for her life. He also physically abused her and put the gun to his own head. The former Big Leaguer plead guilty to aggravated assault and served a year’s worth of jailed time in three-month increments over four years. He also was ordered to do 10 public service announcements denouncing domestic violence and donate $25,000 to a domestic violence charity. The reliever was released by the D-backs soon after they gained knowledge of Chouinard’s domestic violence dispute.
Ka’Deem Carey: The University of Arizona running back had domestic violence charges brought against him in January after pushing his pregnant girlfriend to the ground and slamming a door on her hand. On January 17, Carey pleaded not guilty to charges of misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct.
