Patterson Is Arrested

Portland forward Ruben Patterson was arrested Monday night on a felony domestic assault charge, becoming the latest Trail Blazer player in trouble with the law.

Tualatin police spokesman Sgt. Doug Nafziger said Patterson was taken into custody after his wife, Shannon, called 911 and said he assaulted her at their home. Nafziger said that when police got to the couple’s home, they found that Patterson’s wife had minor injuries.

Patterson was taken to the Washington County Jail and released after teammate Derek Anderson posted $1,000 bail, Nafziger said.

Shannon Patterson released a statement through her husband’s agent, in which she said, “I’m embarrassed that it became public and this is something we are working out privately. I respectfully request that we be allowed to do so.”

Patterson is scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 6, the same day teammates Damon Stoudamire and Rasheed Wallace are scheduled to appear in court on drug charges.

Nafziger said Patterson could face up to five years in prison and a $100,000 fine if convicted.

In 2001, Patterson entered a modified guilty plea in Washington state to attempted rape. He was sentenced to a year in jail, but a judge suspended all but 15 days of the sentence.

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On the day that Larry Brown was officially named coach of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, USA Basketball selection committee chairman Stu Jackson said Allen Iverson -- Brown’s star player on the Philadelphia 76ers -- would receive serious consideration to be among the “core group” of eight or nine players to be chosen by early February.