Clarett Indicted on New Gun and Chase Charges

Former Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett was indicted Thursday in Columbus, Ohio, on charges related to a highway chase and violent struggle with police.

Clarett, found with three semiautomatic handguns and an automatic rifle -- all loaded -- in his SUV, was indicted on five charges that include carrying a concealed weapon and two counts of failure to comply with an order from a police officer.

The 22-year-old was arrested Aug. 9 after authorities say he tried to flee a police officer.

Clarett, who’s being held in the Franklin County jail, already is set to go to trial on Sept. 18 on charges accusing him of robbing two people of a cellphone outside a bar early on New Year’s Day.

Thursday’s indictment also includes charges of improper handling of a firearm and one count of using a gun while under indictment on the New Year’s Day robbery.

Clarett, who has undergone a judge-ordered mental health examination, will be arraigned on the five new charges Monday.

Michael Hoague and Nick Mango, Clarett’s defense attorneys in both cases, did not return messages seeking comment.

An arrest warrant on three charges stemming from a previous incident has been issued for the man accused of fatally shooting USC basketball player Ryan Francis

DeAnthony Norman Ford of Baton Rouge, La., is being sought in connection with a drive-by shooting March 17, nearly two months before Francis was slain while riding in a car in Baton Rouge, his hometown.

He now faces additional charges of assault by drive-by shooting, illegal use of a weapon and aggravated damage to property. No one was injured in the March 17 incident.

-- Ben Bolch

NASCAR denies that top officials for the sanctioning body promised a job to a former racing team member who was the victim of a 1999 racial incident.

The denial is part of a court filing by NASCAR in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

The filing was in response to a lawsuit last month by David Scott, a former motorcoach driver for car owners Roger Penske and Michael Kranefuss.

Scott, who is black, was the target of racial slurs and harassment during several run-ins with a handful of white motorcoach drivers during the 1999 season. During a July race at New Hampshire International Speedway, two white motorcoach drivers confronted Scott while one wore a white pillowcase over his head, imitating a Ku Klux Klan member.

BASKETBALL

Miller, Leslie Will Have Their Numbers Retired

Former USC women’s basketball stars Cheryl Miller and Lisa Leslie will have their numbers retired -- Nos. 31 and 33, respectively -- before the Trojans’ season opener Nov. 10 against Long Beach State at the new Galen Center.

-- Jerry Crowe

Tina Thompson had 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead the U.S. women’s national team to a 56-49 victory over Australia in an exhibition game at Durham, N.C.

Kobe Bryant believes the U.S. men’s basketball team will have to work on its chemistry if it wants to perform well at the 2008 Olympics.

The Lakers star, visiting Taiwan as part of a five-leg tour of Asia to meet with fans, said that a new team always needed some time together before starting to play with consistency.

Bryant did not play in the world championships because of a knee injury.

“Years playing together will jell us as a unit, but if there is no chemistry, it’s going to be tough to beat all those talented teams,” Bryant said.

The Times’ Mark Heisler was honored at a special kickoff dinner to a weekend of celebration and inductions at the basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

Heisler, who has covered the NBA for 23 years at three newspapers, including the last 16 as columnist for the sport at The Times, received the Curt Gowdy Award for print media.

Also honored were ESPN’s Bill Raftery, with the Gowdy broadcast award, and longtime women’s basketball official Betty Jaynes, with the John Bunn lifetime achievement award.

-- Bill Dwyre

MISCELLANY

Thrashers Keep Goaltender Lehtonen

The Atlanta Thrashers agreed to terms on a contract with No. 1 goaltender Kari Lehtonen with one week left before training camp.

He had a 20-15-0 record and 2.94 goals-against average and two shutouts in 38 games with the Thrashers last season, leading the team in wins despite being sidelined for 41 games because of injuries.

Bob Mathias, the former congressman and Olympic champion, was buried in Tulare, the San Joaquin Valley city where he grew up.

Hundreds gathered for the funeral that was attended by family, friends and fellow Olympians. He died of lung cancer in Fresno last week at 75.

“Even when he had many reasons to be proud of his accomplishments, he never acted as if he were famous,” childhood friend Pat Hillman said.

Peter Brock, one of Australia’s most successful and well-known race car drivers, died today in an accident during a rally.

The 61-year-old Brock died when he crashed during the Targa rally, according to the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. His co-driver was taken to a hospital in a stable condition.

Brock won Australia’s premier touring car event at Bathurst a record 10 times.

Boxer Evander Holyfield, 43, resumes his comeback Nov. 10 when he fights Fres Oquendo in San Antonio.

Oquendo, 33, is 26-3 with 16 knockouts.

Four highly ranked women’s soccer teams will compete today and Sunday in the UCLA Women’s Cup at Drake Stadium. Santa Clara, ranked No. 3 by Soccer America, plays No. 12 Connecticut at 4:30 p.m., and No. 5 UCLA plays No. 4 Texas A&M; at 7. Texas A&M; plays Santa Clara at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, followed by UCLA-Connecticut.

Michal Prokop of the Czech Republic took first place in the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup Finals at San Jose, which was held as a specialty competition at the fourth stop of the Dew Action Sports Tour.

Local tracks plan full schedules of auto racing Saturday night.

Irwindale Speedway has a six-race program, the feature being a super-late model race, with Van Knill of Tucson holding a 16-point division lead over David Beat of Santee.

Late-models headline a four-race schedule at Perris Auto Speedway, with Art Peterson of Cathedral City clinging to a one-point lead over Chad Jones of Temecula.

At Ventura Raceway, USAC/CRA sprint cars return with Damion Gardner of Concord still holding a 34-point lead over Cory Kruseman of Ventura despite flipping at Perris last Saturday and finishing 10th.

Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino plans a six-race program that includes super late-models and a late-model pro truck exhibition.

-- Jim Peltz