AggieJohn
05-04-2005, 01:41 PM
OU football player linked to fight
Police recordings indicate involvement of Adrian Peterson.
Sara Ganus and Christopher Terbrueggen - DAILY STAFF WRITERS
May 04, 2005
Two men and one woman were injured April 23 after several fights broke out around 4 a.m. at Denny's Restaurant involving a group of men, including Adrian Peterson, OU freshman running back, according to 911 police calls and a police radio traffic recording.
The participants were suspected of using alcohol, according to a police report.
After witnesses declined to comment, The Daily obtained a copy of the two 911 calls made from Denny's, 2535 W. Main St., and a recording of the radio traffic between the Norman Police Department and a squad car at the time of the fight.
Norman police received calls about a man whose forehead was cut and needed stitches, another who had Tabasco sauce and glass in his eye and a woman who was cut with glass. None of the victims could be identified.
Peterson was a passenger in a car that was pulled over around the time of the fight, according to the radio traffic recording. Norman police pulled the car over at Ed Noble Parkway and Main Street after receiving information that Peterson "apparently started the fight."
A Norman communication officer, who handles 911 calls, told the officer who pulled the car over that one of the suspects involved in the fight may have had a knife.
Two Denny's employees made the calls reporting the fight, saying a group of men were throwing plates, brooms and bottles of Tabasco and swinging brooms.
"They're using brooms, throwing plates--there's all kinds of things that happened so far. Please hurry," an employee, who identified himself as Roger, said to a 911 communication officer.
Roger reported 13 men--12 against one--were involved in a fight before another broke out.
"It's coming right now, another fight's coming right now," he said. "Hurry. Hurry now."
Denny's Manager Mike Beckham also made a call reporting a fight involving five men in the restaurant and asking for emergency assistance at the time of the fight. Beckham said those involved in the fight were throwing bottles and ashtrays and swinging brooms.
"I don't know if [the victim] got hit with a piece of glass or a broomstick or what," Beckham told the 911 communication officer.
While Beckham was wiping the victim's head to control the bleeding, he told the communication officer that half of the participants left the scene and two more people were injured.
Beckham reported the man who had Tabasco sauce and glass in his eye and the woman who was cut.
OU football head coach Bob Stoops said he was aware of the incident; he has talked to the players about it; and their understanding is that the incident may have been instigated by other people, according to Kenny Mossman, associate athletic director for media relations.
Nishant Patel, a business sophomore who is a clerk at Quality Inn, 100 SW 26th Drive, located across from Denny's, said that in the beginning, about three police cars arrived at Denny's and that three minutes later, three more arrived.
Emergency Medical Services and the Norman Fire Department also showed up, Patel said.
No one was put into an ambulance or a police car, he said.
On April 28--five days after the incident--Beckham said he was in the back of Denny's when the fight broke out.
"It wasn't anything really major," he said.
Beckham said four or five people were involved and that he wasn't sure whether any of them were OU football players.
"I'm not from around here, but somebody said there was a football player," he said.
Beckham also said he thought the Denny's owner and Stoops had talked about the incident.
Norman Police Lt. Tom Easley said no arrests were made and that the incident was recorded as malicious injury and destruction of property, or vandalism.
"None of the parties were arrested because no one wanted to pursue charges, and it didn't occur in our presence," Easley said. "It was a misdemeanor incident."
Easley said all parties were interviewed and released at the scene.
One employee reported damage to a glass brick, according to a police report. Easley said the brick, part of a wall that separates the restaurant's smoking and non-smoking sections, had about $100 worth of damage.
Reza Ghanaati, one of Denny's owners, said he would not press charges against anyone and said he had talked to Stoops but would not comment about it.
Police recordings indicate involvement of Adrian Peterson.
Sara Ganus and Christopher Terbrueggen - DAILY STAFF WRITERS
May 04, 2005
Two men and one woman were injured April 23 after several fights broke out around 4 a.m. at Denny's Restaurant involving a group of men, including Adrian Peterson, OU freshman running back, according to 911 police calls and a police radio traffic recording.
The participants were suspected of using alcohol, according to a police report.
After witnesses declined to comment, The Daily obtained a copy of the two 911 calls made from Denny's, 2535 W. Main St., and a recording of the radio traffic between the Norman Police Department and a squad car at the time of the fight.
Norman police received calls about a man whose forehead was cut and needed stitches, another who had Tabasco sauce and glass in his eye and a woman who was cut with glass. None of the victims could be identified.
Peterson was a passenger in a car that was pulled over around the time of the fight, according to the radio traffic recording. Norman police pulled the car over at Ed Noble Parkway and Main Street after receiving information that Peterson "apparently started the fight."
A Norman communication officer, who handles 911 calls, told the officer who pulled the car over that one of the suspects involved in the fight may have had a knife.
Two Denny's employees made the calls reporting the fight, saying a group of men were throwing plates, brooms and bottles of Tabasco and swinging brooms.
"They're using brooms, throwing plates--there's all kinds of things that happened so far. Please hurry," an employee, who identified himself as Roger, said to a 911 communication officer.
Roger reported 13 men--12 against one--were involved in a fight before another broke out.
"It's coming right now, another fight's coming right now," he said. "Hurry. Hurry now."
Denny's Manager Mike Beckham also made a call reporting a fight involving five men in the restaurant and asking for emergency assistance at the time of the fight. Beckham said those involved in the fight were throwing bottles and ashtrays and swinging brooms.
"I don't know if [the victim] got hit with a piece of glass or a broomstick or what," Beckham told the 911 communication officer.
While Beckham was wiping the victim's head to control the bleeding, he told the communication officer that half of the participants left the scene and two more people were injured.
Beckham reported the man who had Tabasco sauce and glass in his eye and the woman who was cut.
OU football head coach Bob Stoops said he was aware of the incident; he has talked to the players about it; and their understanding is that the incident may have been instigated by other people, according to Kenny Mossman, associate athletic director for media relations.
Nishant Patel, a business sophomore who is a clerk at Quality Inn, 100 SW 26th Drive, located across from Denny's, said that in the beginning, about three police cars arrived at Denny's and that three minutes later, three more arrived.
Emergency Medical Services and the Norman Fire Department also showed up, Patel said.
No one was put into an ambulance or a police car, he said.
On April 28--five days after the incident--Beckham said he was in the back of Denny's when the fight broke out.
"It wasn't anything really major," he said.
Beckham said four or five people were involved and that he wasn't sure whether any of them were OU football players.
"I'm not from around here, but somebody said there was a football player," he said.
Beckham also said he thought the Denny's owner and Stoops had talked about the incident.
Norman Police Lt. Tom Easley said no arrests were made and that the incident was recorded as malicious injury and destruction of property, or vandalism.
"None of the parties were arrested because no one wanted to pursue charges, and it didn't occur in our presence," Easley said. "It was a misdemeanor incident."
Easley said all parties were interviewed and released at the scene.
One employee reported damage to a glass brick, according to a police report. Easley said the brick, part of a wall that separates the restaurant's smoking and non-smoking sections, had about $100 worth of damage.
Reza Ghanaati, one of Denny's owners, said he would not press charges against anyone and said he had talked to Stoops but would not comment about it.