Williams Could Get 30 Years

Former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of a more serious manslaughter charge in his indictment Wednesday in Flemington, N.J., in the shooting death of a limo driver at his estate.

Williams also was indicted on other charges including the lesser charge of reckless manslaughter, aggravated assault and witness and evidence tampering in the Feb. 14 death of Costas Christofi.

A friend of the former New Jersey Net star, John Gordnick, was indicted on charges of hindering apprehension and evidence tampering.

The 34-year-old Williams remains free on $270,000 bail. A date for an arraignment was not immediately scheduled.

He could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted of first-degree aggravated manslaughter, which was added to the indictment returned Wednesday. The most serious of the previous charges, second-degree reckless manslaughter, carried a maximum penalty of 10 years.

Pro Football

The Cincinnati Bengals signed free-agent quarterback Gus Frerotte to a one-year contract after promising him that he will be given the chance to compete for the No. 1 job with holdover starter Jon Kitna.... Free safety Kwamie Lassiter accepted a tender offer as the Arizona Cardinals’ franchise player.... Receiver Marcus Robinson agreed to a restructuring of the last two years of his contract with the Chicago Bears, which will keep him there next season.... The Kansas City Chiefs signed free-agent quarterback Jonathan Quinn to a two-year contract. He will back up starter Trent Green.

Tennis

Venus Williams, ranked No. 1, defeated Francesca Schiavone, 6-2, 6-2, to advance to the quarterfinals of the Betty Barclay Cup at Hamburg, Germany.

In other matches, sixth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova beat Marta Marrero, 6-1, 6-1, Barbara Rittner beat Elena Likhovtseva, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, and eighth-seeded Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario defeated Adriana Serra Zanetti of Italy, 6-1, 6-3.

Top-seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia cruised into the quarterfinals of the Croatian Bol Ladies Open, ousting Angelique Wadjaja of Indonesia, 6-2, 6-1.... Argentina’s Agustin Calleri defeated Spain’s Juan Balcells, 6-3, 6-1, in the second round of the Mallorca Open at Palma de Mallorca, Spain.... Qualifier Radek Stepanek defeated Nicolas Kiefer, 6-2, 6-2, in the second round of the BMW Open at Munich, Germany.

Miscellany

The NCAA approved Northwestern’s decision to forfeit six football practices as punishment for illegally holding a workout last summer--a violation that came to light when senior strong safety Rashidi Wheeler, 22, a La Verne Damien High graduate from Ontario, collapsed during the Aug. 3 workout and died.

His mother, Linda Will, who filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Northwestern, said Wednesday the punishment was inadequate.

“I think the NCAA should step up and impose a penalty more commensurate for [Northwestern] not doing its best to save a human life,” Will said. “I’m enraged [the school] would have the power to self-impose its own penalty.”

Erwin Dudley, the Southeastern Conference player of the year from Alabama, said he will return to the school for his senior season and not make himself available for the NBA draft.

Mike Johnson was hired as an assistant men’s basketball coach at UC Irvine. Johnson spent 10 seasons as an assistant at Cal State Northridge before taking off last season to pursue business interests in the Midwest.

Passings

Luis Barrera, who trained 1981 Belmont Stakes winner Summing, died of a heart attack. He was 80. Barrera was the brother of Hall of Fame trainer Laz Barrera. See story, Section B.