Roethlisberger Expected to Return This Season

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger could be out of the hospital in three to five days and appears likely to play this season after a motorcycle accident in which his helmetless head shattered a car windshield Monday.

The Super Bowl-winning quarterback was upgraded to fair condition at Mercy Hospital on Tuesday, a day after the scary accident at a busy Pittsburgh intersection left him and his team shaken.

Despite being tossed high into the air in the accident, Roethlisberger escaped career-threatening injuries.

Doctors did not discuss Roethlisberger’s condition in detail, at the request of his family, but the quarterback’s only major injuries were to his face: a broken upper and lower jaw, a loss of two teeth, a broken nose, broken facial bones and various cuts and bruises.

Larry Jones, the chief of Mercy Hospital’s trauma unit, said Roethlisberger’s brain was functioning normally, although the quarterback has a concussion.

Receiver Deion Branch, the MVP of the 2005 Super Bowl, skipped the first day of the New England Patriots’ mandatory mini-camp because of a contract dispute. Branch is entering the final season of a five-year deal.

The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to a two-year contract with offensive tackle Kyle Turley, who has missed the last two seasons because of a back injury.

The San Diego Chargers held a workout in front of about 2,000 Marines, sailors and their families at Camp Pendleton.

JURISPRUDENCE

Redick Is Charged With Drunk Driving

Former Duke basketball player J.J. Redick was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and unlawful use of highways for making an illegal U-turn.

Redick, who has a Virginia driver’s license, lost his driving privileges in North Carolina for 30 days, Durham, N.C., police spokeswoman Kammie Michael said.

Redick had a blood-alcohol level of 0.11%. The legal limit for drivers in North Carolina is 0.08%.

Lightweight champion Diego Corrales and his promoter, Gary Shaw are suing fellow lightweight Jose Luis Castillo, Bob Arum’s Top Rank promotional organization and Fernando Beltran, Castillo’s Mexican promoter, for damages resulting from the canceled June 3 match between the two fighters.

The fight, scheduled for Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack Center, was called off when Castillo failed to weigh in at the required 135-pound limit.

The suit, filed in a New York court, asks for $1.2 million for Corrales, which would have been his purse for the match, $750,000 for Shaw for losses incurred by the cancellation and at least $10 million in punitive damages.

The suit alleges that Top Rank officials knew in advance Castillo would not make weight but kept that information secret.

-- Steve Springer

Jayson Williams, the former NBA All-Star who was acquitted of aggravated manslaughter in a shooting death two years ago, can’t appeal a decision to be retried on a lesser charge, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled.

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Cato June was arrested after failing to appear in court on a driving while suspended charge.

MISCELLANY

Harrick Will Coach Bakersfield Team

Former UCLA coach Jim Harrick, 67, was hired to run the new Bakersfield Jam entry in the NBA Development League.

Harrick, who also was a head coach at Pepperdine, Rhode Island and Georgia, said his son, Jim Jr., would not be on his staff in Bakersfield.

The younger Harrick was fired from Georgia because of alleged money given to a recruit and preferred academic treatment to athletes.

Cal State Fullerton ace Wes Roemer is among three finalists for the Brooks Wallace Award, presented July 3 by the College Baseball Foundation to the top college player in the nation.

Fullerton closer Vinnie Pestano, who was hoping to return from an elbow injury to pitch in the College World Series, has been left off the Titans’ 25-man roster. The junior right-hander has not pitched since feeling a popping sensation in his right elbow May 10. He was 2-1 with 13 saves and an earned-run average of 0.97.

-- Ben Bolch

The NHL is trying to fool the public with a flawed anti-doping program, Dick Pound, the chairman of the World Anti-Doping agency, said. Pound said league statements that there were no positive tests among 1,406 administered during the season were meaningless given the loopholes in its anti-doping program.

Former Montreal Canadiens coach Claude Julien was hired to coach the New Jersey Devils.

The Los Angeles Riptide of Major League Lacrosse acquired attackman Andrew Combs from the Rochester Rattlers for a third-round pick in the 2007 supplemental draft.

Wyoming extended the contract of football Coach Joe Glenn, 57, through the 2010 season. Glenn, entering his fourth year at Wyoming, has a 15-20 record.

NBC announced that golf commentator Johnny Miller has been given a long-term contract extension. Miller, who will be working on this week’s U.S. Open, declined to give specifics about the extension.

Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro had the cast changed on his broken right hind leg and the plates and screws that were inserted three weeks ago appear to be working, his veterinarian said.

James Blake defeated Justin Gimelstob, 7-5, 6-1, at the grass-court Queen’s Club tournament in London.

Angel Vicioso won the fourth stage of the Tour de Suisse in Switzerland, a tuneup for the Tour de France.