Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans was briefly detained for reckless driving Monday evening after California Highway Patrol officers said they clocked the NBA Rookie of the Year at more than 100 mph on Interstate 80.
Officers drew guns and ordered Evans and his passenger out of Evans' 2010 black Mercedes-Benz S550, said Lizz Dutton, CHP spokeswoman. Evans' windows were tinted black and officers could not see inside the vehicle, so they performed a felony stop with guns drawn, she said.
Evans' handcuffs were removed once officers determined there was no threat, Dutton said. It is illegal to tint the windshield and driver's and passenger's side windows, according to the CHP.
Evans, 20, was cited for reckless driving.
"They were very cooperative," Dutton said. "He didn't know he was being followed."
Kings officials were still learning the details late Monday evening. Kings basketball President Geoff Petrie said he didn't know much about the incident, but it is something he "prefers not to happen."
"I've got a call into him and a message to him, but from what I understand he was over the speed limit," Petrie said. "But he's scheduled to come in (today) and we'll talk about it."
Dutton said a CHP air unit spotted Evans at 6:51 p.m. in the Mercedes speeding at more than 100 mph on westbound Interstate 80 at Antelope Road, where the posted speed limit is 65 mph.
The air unit followed the Mercedes until officers could respond at 6:58 p.m. to a park near Taylor Street Elementary School in the Robla neighborhood, where Evans planned to play basketball. Dutton said Evans was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Dutton did not have Evans' court date but said it is usually 45 days from the incident.
Julius "Doc" Evans, one of Tyreke's older brothers, said Tyreke had called a family member in Pennsylvania Monday evening and told him what had happened. Julius Evans said that Tyreke had recently had his car shipped from Pennsylvania to Sacramento.
CHP said drivers can be arrested for reckless driving, but officers typically cite and release people who cooperate and have no outstanding tickets.
Evans is not the first Kings player to be cited for reckless driving. Chris Webber and Jason Williams were acquitted in October 2000 of misdemeanor charges of speeding and reckless driving in April of that year.
Read the full story at the Sacramento Bee.
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