Marinovich Arrested for Sexual Assault

Los Angeles Avenger quarterback Todd Marinovich was arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies Tuesday on suspicion of sexual assault.

Marinovich, 30, was practicing with the team at its West Los Angeles College facility when deputies arrived shortly after noon, Deputy Harry Drucker said. He said Marinovich was allowed to change clothes and was taken to the Sheriff’s Department’s Marina del Rey station. He was being held there on $50,000 bail.

Team spokesman John Tamanaha, who was at practice when the arrest took place, called it “an unfortunate situation that we have just learned about. Ever since we brought Todd in six weeks ago, he’s done everything we’ve asked of him from a football standpoint, and was making good progress on the field.”

Attempts to reach Len Schulman, Marinovich’s agent, were unsuccessful.

Todd’s father, Marv, told the Associated Press he hadn’t been able to find out much about what happened to his son.

“I’d like to find out what happened myself. I can’t get any information here,” Marv Marinovich said. “I haven’t spoken to Todd. I’m very concerned.”

Drucker said the alleged incident occurred between midnight and 12:30 a.m. at Todd Marinovich’s apartment.

A woman, whom Drucker did not identify, went to an area hospital Tuesday and told medical personnel she had been assaulted by Marinovich. After examining her, hospital officials contacted the Sheriff’s Department.

Detectives, acting on the victim’s statement and the results of the victim’s examination, made the arrest.

Marinovich, who signed with the Arena Football League Avengers on March 18, is trying to revive a professional football career after much success in high school and college.

At Mater Dei and Capistrano Valley High, Marinovich passed for a national-record 9,194 yards. He played two years at USC before being chosen by the Los Angeles Raiders in the first round of the 1991 NFL draft.

Marinovich played two seasons with the Raiders before being released after the 1993 season. He signed with Winnipeg of the Canadian Football League but suffered a season-ending knee injury during his first practice.

The San Diego Chargers showed some interest in Marinovich before this year’s NFL draft, but no deal was worked out.

He has had other legal problems. In 1997 Marinovich was arrested at his Dana Point home after Orange County sheriff’s deputies found marijuana plants, a syringe, and prescription medicine not in his name. He later plead guilty to a felony charge of cultivating marijuana, and a misdemeanor charge of illegally possessing the prescription medicine, and served a three-month sentence.

Marinovich, a reserve quarterback with the Avengers, had not played in either of the team’s two regular-season games. In the Avengers’ two exhibition games, Marinovich completed 15 of 26 passes for 187 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.

*

BEATHARD OUT

Bobby Beathard, who built Super Bowl teams on both coasts, retired as Charger general manager. Page 10

ROTHMAN DIES

Frank Rothman, a lawyer who represented the NFL in several landmark cases, died in L.A. B1