October incident leads to court date for Broncos' Dumervil

DENVER -- Broncos Pro Bowl linebacker Elvis Dumervil has been cited for assault and disturbing the peace for an alleged run-in with a security guard at Invesco Field.

Denver court records show the reported incident happened Oct. 24 following the Broncos' 59-14 loss to the Oakland Raiders.

Dumervil's lawyer, Harvey Steinberg, told The Associated Press the linebacker forgot his credentials, and a guard wouldn't allow him into a players' parking lot, despite Dumervil showing his driver's license.

Steinberg said Thursday that it was a simple disagreement and it's "unfair Elvis is being villainized." The incident was first reported by Denver's KDVR-TV.

"Elvis was never arrested, simply given a ticket. He was never handcuffed or had a mug shot," Steinberg said. "It was a simple disagreement. That's what this is. We hope the prosecution reviews it, finds no reason to go forward and dismisses it."

Dumervil already appeared in court once and is set to appear again Jan. 11.

"Disturbing the peace? Hard to believe you can disturb the peace with 75,000 people there," Steinberg said of the incident.

Dumervil, who led the NFL with 17 sacks in 2009, has been out all season after ripping a chest muscle during training camp.

This has been quite a tumultuous season for the Broncos (3-11).

Earlier this month, coach Josh McDaniels was fired with the squad mired in the worst slump in four decades. The team also has been embroiled in a videotaping scandal, sullying the image of the organization.

Away from the field, three Broncos players have been arrested.

Kevin Alexander was arrested earlier this week and pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and battery stemming from an allegation of a domestic dispute over alleged infidelity. The Broncos released the rookie linebacker hours after the arrest, calling it a football decision to clear a roster spot for cornerback Chevis Jackson.

Rookie cornerback Perrish Cox was arrested in a sexual-assault case. The alleged assault was reported a few days after Cox was knocked out of the Oct. 24 game against the Raiders with a concussion. Court documents say the alleged assault happened Sept. 6.

Linebacker D.J. Williams was stripped of his captaincy after his October arrest on suspicion of drunken driving.

"The off-field conduct is something we take very, very seriously," said Broncos interim coach Eric Studesville, whose team hosts the Houston Texans on Sunday. "We've never downplayed that. We hold every person in this organization, coaches, players, staff, to a high standard of conduct away from this building as they represent this organization.

"The situations that have come up, we've complied with every fact-finding opportunity there is. We've cooperated in every way that we can, to gather the facts."

Is Studesville disturbed by the number of arrests?

"My job is to coach football," he said. "Those things that happen, we're going to comply with everything and we're going to help with it. My job is to focus on getting this team ready for the Houston Texans."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Dolphins' Crowder accuses Ravens' McClain of spitting incident

The Ravens got the best of the Dolphins on Sunday, but it was the actions of a Baltimore offensive player that had Miami linebacker Channing Crowder fuming afterward.

Speaking to reporters in the wake of a 26-10 loss at M&T Bank Stadium, Crowder expressed extreme anger toward Ravens fullback Le'Ron McClain.

“Le’Ron McClain spit in my face,” Crowder told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "That’s some real (expletive), so if you talk to him tell him he’s a (expletive). If he ever comes to Miami, he’s got to see me.”

McClain denied the charge after the game, but Dolphins defensive end Kendall Langford backed up Crowder's claim.

“(The officials) said they didn’t see it,” Crowder told the Sun-Sentinel. “Then they said something about they let Karlos Dansby get away with a facemask before. Who the (expletive) cares? I just got spit in my face. I don’t give a damn about Karlos pulling somebody’s facemask.

Crowder, who also claimed that McClain was cutting him low on blocks, went on.

“That’s the first time anybody spit in my face in my life,” he said. “That’s like the worst thing you can do to a man as another man, spit in somebody’s face. Why would you do that? Why would you even try to?"

It's possible that McClain could face a fine or even suspension if game tapes reveal Crowder's accusations to be true.

Dansby said that if McClain did act improperly, the NFL “should suspend him. There’s no place for that in this game.”

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Bengals CB Jones questioned after loss, traffic incident

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones was questioned and handcuffed by police after a traffic incident following a 24-21 loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday, but was released a short time later without a ticket or charges.

Cincinnati police Officer K. Hall said Jones drove his silver Jaguar over the curb near Great American Ball Park "trying to avoid hitting someone or something" in a downtown street. The streets were crowded with fans leaving the Bengals game -- which ended about 90 minutes earlier -- and others going to the Reds' evening playoff game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Hall said Jones was questioned and released.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Jones was handcuffed, because according to police there was an outstanding warrant on the license plates.

A witness said Jones’ car swerved to avoid the car in front of his and jumped the curb onto the sidewalk, the Enquirer reported.

Jones was out of football last year, the culmination of a long streak of off-field problems. The Bengals gave him a two-year deal in May that represents a last chance to salvage his career, which started with promise when he was Tennessee's first-round draft pick in 2005.

Jones had six arrests and a dozen incidents involving police intervention, leaving his career at a crossroads. The Bengals gave him a tryout in the offseason and decided to give him a chance. He played well in the preseason and won the third cornerback job.

He was upbeat as he left the locker room on Sunday. He glanced at receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco -- both downcast after giving up a late lead -- and said, "You're looking like hounds in a dog show."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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