NBA's Strickland Arrested on DUI

M C L E A N, Va., Jan. 8, 2001 -- Washington Wizards star Rod Strickland has beenarrested and charged with drunken driving.

The Wizards guard was reportedly arrested early Sunday morningafter U.S. Park Police officers observed him allegedly drivingerratically near CIA headquarters in McLean, police said today.

Strickland refused to take a Breathalyzer test, U.S. Park Policespokesman Sgt. Rob MacLean said. He has been charged with drivingunder the influence and failure to stay in lanes.

He is expected to appear before a U.S. magistrate at the federalcourthouse in Alexandria at the end of the month.

Third DUI Arrest in Three Years

The arrest marks Strickland’s third DUI arrest in three years.He was convicted in 1998 and completed a year’s probation and 30hours of community service. In 1999, Strickland was acquitted of charges related to an April incident in Washington.

In November, Strickland was charged with unlawful entry forallegedly refusing to leave a night club after fire marshals shutit down. The charge was later dropped.

The latest arrest adds more turmoil to the disgruntledStrickland’s situation with the Wizards. In the week afterChristmas, Strickland missed two practices without notifying theteam, a team-scheduled doctor’s appointment and a road trip toMiami. He also expressed his desire to play for another team andcomplained when he played only 18 minutes the day after he missedone of the practices.

In return, the Wizards have fined Strickland twice and suspendedhim for one game. Strickland later went to see his own doctor, wholast week diagnosed a muscle tear in the point guard’s leftshoulder. Just days earlier, Strickland had decided to sit out agame when he complained of sore hamstrings.

Because of a shoulder injury, Strickland stayed home duringthe team’s current road trip, which began Sunday night with a lossto New York. He has not played since Dec. 27.

The suspension, injury and now the arrest have hurt Strickland’svalue on the trade market. Michael Jordan, the team’s president ofbasketball operations, has been trying to shop Strickland, one ofseveral highly paid veterans who have limited the team’s mobilityunder the salary cap.

The Wizards, who have the second-worst record in the league, didnot comment immediately on the arrest.