Richardson Troubles Continue; He Faces Two Court Hearings

Micheal Ray Richardson, banished from the National Basketball Assn. for cocaine abuse, faces two court hearings on charges of driving with a revoked license and threatening his wife, police in Hackensack, N.J., said.

Richardson was released from the Bergen County Jail on Monday night after a friend posted $2,500 bail on a domestic violence complaint, authorities said.

Despite a February court order not to harass his wife, Richardson continued to do so Tuesday, according to Allendale (N.J.) Police Chief Frank A. Parenti.

“He’s been calling his wife constantly and he kept her up all last night,” Parenti said. “Now he’s threatening to kill her. I don’t know if it’s the coke talking or what.”

The former New Jersey Net star was banned from the National Basketball Assn. in February after traces of cocaine were detected in a urinalysis.

Richardson’s latest run-in with authorities began Sunday night when he was arrested in Allendale, after being found dozing behind the wheel of his car, which was parked behind a realty office with the motor running, Parenti said.

Authorities did not administer a drug test, but Parenti said Richardson, who is living in a motel, “appeared to be out of it.”

Allendale Patrolman Andrew Baum said that during a municipal court hearing on the driving charge, Richardson said he still uses cocaine. A second court hearing on the driving charge is set for Saturday.

After his arrest Sunday, Richardson agreed to sign himself into Bergen Pines Hospital’s detoxification ward and spent the night there. Then, as a condition set by Municipal Court Judge Robert Buckalew, Richardson was supposed to either check into a Paterson detoxification center Monday morning or pay $1,000 bail.

As a further condition, he was not to leave Bergen Pines until arrangements at the detoxification center had been made, Baum said.

However, Richardson walked out of Bergen Pines on Monday morning, went to his wife’s townhouse and began pounding on the door, trying to gain entry, police said.

When police responded, Richardson fled on foot, Baum said. The former NBA star was arrested in the woods behind a convenience store in neighboring Waldwick at 12:16 p.m. and charged on a domestic violence complaint filed by his wife.