Car, guns taken from Blazers' Randolph

[spurssheriff]

Trail Blazers forward Zach Randolph had a car and two loaded guns taken by police after an incident in downtown Portland early Thursday morning.

Randolph was a passenger in a Dodge Magnum he owns that was involved in speed racing at 3:15 a.m. on Southwest Broadway. Taquan Portis, 22, who was driving the Dodge, was cited for speed racing, careless driving and failure to obey a traffic signal. He is scheduled to appear in court July 6.

Portis was racing against a Cadillac Escalade, also owned by Randolph, with the cars going 50 to 60 mph in a 20 mph zone, Portland police spokeswoman Cathe Kent said. The Dodge was towed under a Portland law designed to curb dangerous racing.

The occupants of the Cadillac left by the time police approached the car.

Randolph had two loaded handguns in the car, but he was not cited because he has a concealed weapons permit in Clackamas County.

Police, aware of Randolph's permit, asked him if he had a gun in the car, and he said he did. However, when Portis and Randolph were asked to provide keys to the car so police could perform an inventory and give the gun to Randolph before towing the vehicle, Portis and Randolph both said they did not have a key.

Sgt. Roger Axthelm wrote in his report that Randolph told him, "I don't know who has the key." When Axthelm informed Randolph that not cooperating could have an effect on his concealed weapons permit, Randolph responded, "You gotta do what you need to do," Axthelm wrote.

Later, when Axthelm called Randolph on his cell phone to again ask for the key, Randolph told the officer that his attorney had advised him to not provide the key. Police had a towing company unlock the car, and police took both guns for safekeeping until Randolph picks them up.

The Blazers issued a statement saying they would conduct an investigation but have no further comment. Randolph and his agent, Raymond Brothers, did not respond to messages left on their cell phones.

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/ore...210.xml&coll=7

[Mystic Soulja]

Why does a lot of money equal stupidity in alot of cases...esp in Portland

[shelden]

How did this idiot ever get a concealed weapons permit?

http://roguepundit.typepad.com/rogue..._familiar.html
August 23, 2004
An Old Familiar Refrain
Sadly, the Jail Blazers moniker is back in fashion again. Zach Randolph just can't stay out of trouble.

Zach Randolph of the Portland Trail Blazers might face a criminal charge for misleading police officers investigating the shooting of three men on a nightclub dancefloor, a prosecutor said Monday.
The NBA forward's brother, Roger Randolph, 22, faces preliminary charges of criminal recklessness for the Sunday shootings.

Madison County prosecutor Rodney Cummings said Zach Randolph told investigators he did not know who fired the shots, but other witnesses said he held his brother while Roger Randolph fired a gun.

"I think there's a good chance Zach Randolph will be charged with a crime as well," Cummings told the Associated Press. "I would certainly say he's being investigated for false informing or assisting a criminal."


I've blogged on Zach Randolf before:

Zach Randolph, this season's emerging star, doesn't have a spotless history...he broke Ruben Patterson's eye socket in a practice scuffle last season. Now he's been caught driving under the influence (heavy marijuana smell in the car) without an Oregon license (though at least he had one from Indiana), and no proof of insurance (though he evidently does have insurance).
...and from a now-dead Oregonian link I referenced in that same post:

This is the first legal trouble Randolph has faced since the Blazers drafted him with the 19th overall pick in 2000. However, while he attended high school in Marion, Ind., Randolph served 30 days in juvenile detention for shoplifting, 30 days house arrest for battery and 30 days in juvenile detention for possession of stolen property -- guns -- one of which he sold.
In September, he pleaded guilty to underage drinking from a May 2002 incident in Marion.


Some pro sports stars struggle more than others to overcome a tough background. Zach needs to have a serious talk with himself the way that Ray Lewis (of the Baltimore Ravens) evidently did four years ago. He nearly saw his life come crashing down surrounding members of his posse stabbing two men to death outside an Atlanta nightclub the night of SuperBowl XXXIV. Zach needs to grow up fast, and if that means abandoning some of his friends and not partying with relatives, time to do it.

The Blazers made good progress last year at getting rid of some of their bad apples. And, a couple of their charges seem to be reforming (like Stoudamire and maybe Qyntel Woods). We'll see with Darius Miles...he also comes from a rough place where it can be hard to avoid trouble when visiting. Zach isn't learning, and unfortunately his trade value just dropped a bit.

I wish Zach the best...with some other NBA team.

August 23, 2004 in Sports | Permalink

[brazil_spursfan]

Originally Posted by shelden

How did this idiot ever get a concealed weapons permit?

Lots of idiots have "legal" weapons... Randolph is not the worst guy between them