His Position Is Locked Up : Chiefs’ Jones Practices by Day, Then Spends Nights in Jail

Bill Jones is spending his nights in jail and his days practicing with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Coach Marty Schottenheimer did not say Tuesday whether the Chiefs are contemplating disciplinary action against Jones, who starts as a blocking back in Kansas City’s two-back set.

Jones, 26, pleaded guilty Sept. 24, 1991, to leaving the scene of an accident on Interstate 70 near Kansas City. He was suspended for last year’s season-opener before going to trial, where he drew a sentence of two years’ probation.

As part of the sentence, he was ordered to perform 50 hours of community service. In a hearing last week, however, Municipal Judge James F. Karl said Jones had performed only about three hours of service. He ordered Jones to the Municipal Correctional institution for six days, beginning last Friday.

Karl allowed Jones to leave the jail each day on a work release program to attend practice. He left the jail Saturday and flew to Houston and played in the Chiefs’ 23-20 overtime loss to the Oilers. He returned to jail Sunday night, but is back on the field as the Chiefs get ready to play the Raiders on Monday night.

Karl said he will review Jones’ sentence at a hearing Thursday.

“At this point, in fact, if we were to do something, that would remain with Bill and the organization,” Schottenheimer said Tuesday. “I’m not going to discuss it publicly.”

Jones’ primary duty is blocking for the featured runners, Christian Okoye and Barry Word. In three games, he has caught one pass for one yard and not carried the ball. He was a 12th-round draft choice from Southwest Texas State in 1989.

Inmates must pay the city one hour’s worth of wages for each day they leave the jail to work. Officials have not determined what Jones must pay.

Asked if he is comfortable having a player shuffling between jail and practice, Schottenheimer thought a moment before answering.

“Am I comfortable with it? We’d prefer that he not be in that circumstance,” he said. “But he’s got a responsibility, and he’s got to fulfill that. If it would appear that he couldn’t deal with both those issues--I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to stand as judge and jury in this issue.”

Jones’ car collided with an automobile last summer on I-70. The other car veered off the road and overturned. The most serious injury was a broken ankle.