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Posted on Thu, Aug. 18, 2005
Kansas City Chiefs players tangle with the law
3 of 5 face charges after Minneapolis exhibition game
BY JOHN BREWER
Pioneer Press
Watch out when Kansas City Chiefs football players get a day off from their grueling preseason workouts.
In a rumpus that could be billed as an episode of "Chiefs Gone Wild," five Kansas City players got into legal scrapes of various kinds in the east metro and western Wisconsin.
Three incidents involving Chiefs players happened between 1 and 1:30 a.m. Sunday, a little more than 24 hours after the team lost an exhibition game to the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome.
Two players were arrested after struggling with police in a swank downtown Minneapolis hotel. Two more were escorted out of a popular club in Stillwater when one caused a disturbance. Another player was eventually charged with a felony after allegedly fracturing a bouncer's nose in a downtown River Falls tavern.
A Chiefs spokesman downplayed the importance of five players showing up on police blotters.
"I'm a little surprised by the interest in the press up here," said team representative Bob Moore. "I guess Randy Moss leaves town and things go a little slow."
After a 27-16 loss to the Vikings, Chiefs players were released from their University of Wisconsin-River Falls training camp until Sunday morning. The freedom may have been too much.
In the most serious incident, kicker Lawrence J. Tynes was charged with substantial battery, a felony, in Pierce County Circuit Court on Wednesday morning for his role in a fight at Boomer's Bar in River Falls.
Tynes was described in the police report as "extremely agitated" when officers arrived on the scene.
He told officers that he was trying to leave the bar and was attacked by several people "for no reason whatsoever."
A digital camera in the bar might tell a different story.
According to the report, the surveillance video shows Tynes exchanging words with bar patron Bradley Roy. Tynes then throws a drink in Roy's face and starts "attacking him." Bouncer Brian J. Roquette is later seen restraining Tynes.
The 6-foot-1, 202-pound Tynes elbows Roquette and spins away. Bar owner Ted Roughton ends up holding onto Tynes and tells police he suggested to Tynes that he leave peacefully.
In the video, Roughton loses his grip and Tynes allegedly "is observed jumping up and striking Mr. Roquette in the face."
Tynes was released to team security after the incident. When police found out Monday that Roquette's nose was fractured, the case was forwarded to the Pierce County district attorney's office. A criminal complaint was filed Tuesday.
"It's a case where my client got thrown out of the bar by six bouncer bullies and attempted to defend himself. That's all," said Earl Gray, Tynes' St. Paul attorney.
Tynes was released on a $15,000 bond after his court appearance.
About the same time Sunday night, police were flagged down outside of the Freight House Restaurant and Bar in Stillwater.
A manager needed help in getting Todd Collins, a Chiefs backup quarterback, and Trent Green, the starting quarterback, out of the bar.
"Apparently they were causing a problem inside," said Stillwater police Sgt. Jeff Magler. "When they (Freight House security) attempted to remove Collins, he resisted."
A small struggle ensued until officers intervened and the players were sent on their way. There were no arrests in the incident.
In Minneapolis, Saousoalii Siavii Jr. and Gregory Wesley were arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct in the Graves 601 Hotel downtown. Siavii allegedly threw objects and yelled obscenities in the hotel lobby. When police attempted to arrest him, Wesley allegedly blocked the exit and charged the officers.
Siavii, a defensive tackle, and Wesley, a safety, were taken to the Hennepin County jail and released later Sunday.
Siavii appeared in Hennepin County District Court for arraignment Wednesday morning and pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges of fifth-degree assault and disorderly conduct; his next court date is an Oct. 6 pretrial hearing.
Wesley will be arraigned Friday morning. He faces a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge.
After his initial appearance Wednesday, Tynes was scheduled to be back in Pierce County Circuit Court on Oct. 11 for a preliminary hearing.
All the players but Siavii were back on the field practicing Wednesday, Moore said. The defensive tackle was sidelined with a sore knee from Friday's game, he said.
"I would not characterize these people as troublemakers," said Moore, the Chiefs spokesman, adding that the team is going to let the legal system run its course. "Celebrities and public figures are recognized much more easily today than they used to be. They have to be much more careful."
John Brewer can be reached at jbrewer@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-2093.
Kansas City Chiefs players tangle with the law
3 of 5 face charges after Minneapolis exhibition game
BY JOHN BREWER
Pioneer Press
Watch out when Kansas City Chiefs football players get a day off from their grueling preseason workouts.
In a rumpus that could be billed as an episode of "Chiefs Gone Wild," five Kansas City players got into legal scrapes of various kinds in the east metro and western Wisconsin.
Three incidents involving Chiefs players happened between 1 and 1:30 a.m. Sunday, a little more than 24 hours after the team lost an exhibition game to the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome.
Two players were arrested after struggling with police in a swank downtown Minneapolis hotel. Two more were escorted out of a popular club in Stillwater when one caused a disturbance. Another player was eventually charged with a felony after allegedly fracturing a bouncer's nose in a downtown River Falls tavern.
A Chiefs spokesman downplayed the importance of five players showing up on police blotters.
"I'm a little surprised by the interest in the press up here," said team representative Bob Moore. "I guess Randy Moss leaves town and things go a little slow."
After a 27-16 loss to the Vikings, Chiefs players were released from their University of Wisconsin-River Falls training camp until Sunday morning. The freedom may have been too much.
In the most serious incident, kicker Lawrence J. Tynes was charged with substantial battery, a felony, in Pierce County Circuit Court on Wednesday morning for his role in a fight at Boomer's Bar in River Falls.
Tynes was described in the police report as "extremely agitated" when officers arrived on the scene.
He told officers that he was trying to leave the bar and was attacked by several people "for no reason whatsoever."
A digital camera in the bar might tell a different story.
According to the report, the surveillance video shows Tynes exchanging words with bar patron Bradley Roy. Tynes then throws a drink in Roy's face and starts "attacking him." Bouncer Brian J. Roquette is later seen restraining Tynes.
The 6-foot-1, 202-pound Tynes elbows Roquette and spins away. Bar owner Ted Roughton ends up holding onto Tynes and tells police he suggested to Tynes that he leave peacefully.
In the video, Roughton loses his grip and Tynes allegedly "is observed jumping up and striking Mr. Roquette in the face."
Tynes was released to team security after the incident. When police found out Monday that Roquette's nose was fractured, the case was forwarded to the Pierce County district attorney's office. A criminal complaint was filed Tuesday.
"It's a case where my client got thrown out of the bar by six bouncer bullies and attempted to defend himself. That's all," said Earl Gray, Tynes' St. Paul attorney.
Tynes was released on a $15,000 bond after his court appearance.
About the same time Sunday night, police were flagged down outside of the Freight House Restaurant and Bar in Stillwater.
A manager needed help in getting Todd Collins, a Chiefs backup quarterback, and Trent Green, the starting quarterback, out of the bar.
"Apparently they were causing a problem inside," said Stillwater police Sgt. Jeff Magler. "When they (Freight House security) attempted to remove Collins, he resisted."
A small struggle ensued until officers intervened and the players were sent on their way. There were no arrests in the incident.
In Minneapolis, Saousoalii Siavii Jr. and Gregory Wesley were arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct in the Graves 601 Hotel downtown. Siavii allegedly threw objects and yelled obscenities in the hotel lobby. When police attempted to arrest him, Wesley allegedly blocked the exit and charged the officers.
Siavii, a defensive tackle, and Wesley, a safety, were taken to the Hennepin County jail and released later Sunday.
Siavii appeared in Hennepin County District Court for arraignment Wednesday morning and pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges of fifth-degree assault and disorderly conduct; his next court date is an Oct. 6 pretrial hearing.
Wesley will be arraigned Friday morning. He faces a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge.
After his initial appearance Wednesday, Tynes was scheduled to be back in Pierce County Circuit Court on Oct. 11 for a preliminary hearing.
All the players but Siavii were back on the field practicing Wednesday, Moore said. The defensive tackle was sidelined with a sore knee from Friday's game, he said.
"I would not characterize these people as troublemakers," said Moore, the Chiefs spokesman, adding that the team is going to let the legal system run its course. "Celebrities and public figures are recognized much more easily today than they used to be. They have to be much more careful."
John Brewer can be reached at jbrewer@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-2093.