Posted on 02/13/2005 2:02:39 PM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
PORTLAND, Ore. - Olympic ski champion Bill Johnson was charged with assaulting an officer and resisting arrest after punching a sheriff's deputy in the face during a traffic stop, police said.
Johnson was stopped in his pickup truck Friday by a Multnomah County sheriff's deputy and a suburban Troutdale police officer. When the officers approached, Johnson pulled out his 1984 gold medal and taunted them by saying, "You don't have one of these," police said.
Authorities said Johnson threw his keys at Deputy Jeff Cordes, reached out his window, grabbed the deputy's shirt and punched him in the face. Johnson then refused to obey orders to exit the vehicle and lie on the ground.
Johnson was charged with assaulting an officer, resisting arrest and driving while intoxicated. He remained jailed Saturday night, and was being held until arraignment Monday. Bail was set at $17,500.
When an officer tried to interview the 44-year-old Johnson in jail Friday, he lunged at the officer, grabbed him by the vest and tried to hit him, said Lt. Bruce McCain of the sheriff's office.
McCain said he did not know whether Johnson would be charged for that altercation.
The 1984 Olympic downhill champion, Johnson attempted a comeback to compete in the Salt Lake City Games. But he suffered a traumatic brain injury during a training run in March 2001 and was in a coma for three weeks.
And why wouldn't he...?
This or drugs to explain the behavior.
Ah,it will all be downhill for this guy now.
Unless he skates on the charges
Maybe because of this. However, brain injury or no, if he is a danger to others, what is he doing driving around and drinking on top of it.
He still hasn't grown up.
You have to be either brain-damaged or a total narcissist to carry around your gold medal with you.
Ya got me!
What better evidence that some amateur sports are converging with the total losers in the "professional" sports?
After 21 years...
DYKWIA? syndrome...
No, he needs some time in the cooler. His lawyer will wax profoundly and try to snow the jury, and the defendant will probably mouth off and have to be told to shush.
If he doesn't ski drunk, he shouldn't drive drunk. They should take away his skiing license.
Sounds like it's been downhill since he won that in 1984...
Sounds like Johnson is suffering from a severe case of "Do-you-know-who-I-Am-itis."
Now he is going to suffer from the "agony of defeat."
and brain damage often results in dramatic personality changes - I saw a dear friend's husband - a gentle soul before - go thru' that. Sad.
Regardless of a brain injury, if I read this right he punched a cop in the face! and they don't know if he'll be charged.
C'mon, if he's capable of still driving a car (drunk no less) he's capable of obeying the laws same as the average Joe and should face charges.
If you take another look at what I said, I think you'll see that we do not disagree. I think they may be giving him a break because of his injury. I think that is probably unjustified.
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