Thomas Could Be Charged if Sheriff’s Request Heeded

A sheriff has urged a prosecutor to consider charging Derrick Thomas in a highway wreck that killed a passenger and left the Kansas City Chief linebacker paralyzed from the chest down.

But Clay County, Mo., Prosecutor Don Norris said he did not plan an investigation of the Jan. 23 crash on Interstate 435. Icy snow was falling at the time, and Norris said he viewed the accident as weather-related.

“I’m not ruling anything out,” Norris said. “However, at this time there is no reason to be interested in the case unless they bring me something to say it was caused by something more than the weather.”

Thomas was at the wheel of his 1999 Chevrolet Suburban bound for Kansas City International Airport when the vehicle veered into the median and rolled several times.

Neither Thomas nor passenger Michael D. Tellis was wearing a seat belt and both were thrown from the sport utility vehicle. Tellis was killed, and Thomas suffered severe spinal injuries. A second passenger was wearing a seat belt and suffered minor injuries.

Thomas was traveling at least 70 mph, according to Missouri Highway Patrol Cpl. Scott Meyer.

Meyer said Friday it was unlikely that his office would pursue charges against Thomas, in part because relatives of Tellis--a close friend of Thomas--asked that no charges be filed.

But Clay County Sheriff Bob Boydston urged prosecutor Norris to reconsider his position and to request all investigative reports regarding the accident.

“With all due respect and consideration for the family of the person who died, I just have to feel Derrick Thomas has to be held responsible for his dual decisions--not making sure everyone was belted in his car or adjusting his driving,” Boydston said.

There was no evidence that alcohol or drugs contributed to the accident. Because of that, Meyer said, the patrol did not have probable cause to ask that a toxicology report be done.

A written report detailing the accident investigation is expected to be released this week.

Meyer said he would talk to his superiors and to Boydston but did not think he would change his position.

“I could charge careless and imprudent driving for allegedly losing control of the car,” he said. “But a court date would be set in March. Given Thomas’ prognosis and condition, it won’t do any good to bring him in [at this time].”

Meyer said he has up to a year to decide whether to file charges.

Boydston said he wasn’t criticizing the way the highway patrol conducted the investigation, just the decision not to seek charges.

Winter Sports

Canada’s Jeremy Wotherspoon wrapped up his third consecutive World Cup title, winning the 1,000 meters in a near-record performance at Calgary.

Wotherspoon, who broke his world record in the 500 on Saturday, won the 1,000 in 1 minute 8.96 seconds. He set the record of 1:08.49 earlier this year in the Canadian sprint championships at the Olympic Oval.

“There is a bit more pressure here because after the 500 everybody was coming up to me and said: ‘You’re going to break the world record in the 1,000,’ ” he said. “It alters your state of mind when every person says they can’t wait to see it happen.

“When I’m getting ready for the 1,000 I’m not thinking I have to go out and break a world record now.”

Germany’s Gianni Romme of the Netherlands broke his world record in the men’s 5,000, finishing in 6:18.72. He set the previous mark of 6:21.59 two years ago in Calgary.

Jens Mueller completed a productive weekend in Luge World Cup events for Germany by winning the men’s singles event in 1:38.912. Mueller defeated teammate Georg Hackl, giving the German team a sweep of the weekend events at Igls, Austria. Adam Heidt of the United States was sixth. . . . Rain and wind forced postponement of a men’s super-G World Cup race at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, denying Hermann Maier a chance to set an Austrian record. The entire women’s weekend program--a slalom and a giant slalom at Zwiesel--also was wiped out because of the stormy conditions. Maier won Saturday’s downhill, tying the Austrian record of 26 World Cup victories by Franz Klammer. . . . Finland’s Sami Mustonen won the men’s moguls event and Germany’s Sandra Schmitt took the women’s title at the fifth event of the seven-meet World Cup Freestyle ski competition at Madarao Kogen, Japan. . . . Switzerland’s Christian Reich defeated countryman Marcel Rohner in the season’s final four-man bobsled event at St. Moritz, Switzerland, but Rohner won the combined World Cup title with 224 points.

Miscellany

Colombian cycling hero Oliverio Rincon, whose kidnapping by guerrillas prompted national outrage and protests by fellow athletes, was freed after 10 days in captivity. The retired 32-year-old Tour de France competitor was released unharmed by presumed rebels from the National Liberation Army, or ELN.

The American soccer team that won the Women’s World Cup will be back on the field this week after agreeing to a five-year contract that ended its boycott. The settlement will enable each player to earn about $130,000 this year in salaries and bonuses.

A van carrying members of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh’s swimming team overturned on icy Interstate 65, injuring students Deana Ritzman and Amy Stair, who are listed in fair condition at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Lafayette, Ind. Ten other students were treated and released.

Soccer’s governing body has cleared the way for artificial turf in international play, even for the World Cup. FIFA President Sepp Blatter said his organization has removed rules banning artificial turf and thinks that will help ease a crowded soccer calendar.

Kenya’s Philip Kemei and California’s Kimberly Fitchen won the men’s and women’s titles at the Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K. Kemei won by seven seconds over Peter Whitehead of Britain in 29 minutes 42 seconds. Fitchen won in a personal best of 32:59.

Norm Duke defeated Steve Jaros, 267-266, to win the PBA Don Carter Classic at Dallas.