| Show LA Center arrested on gun charge Melissa Harris The Baltimore Sun Chris Wilcox a former University of Maryland basketball basketball basketball bas bas- star turned center for forthe forthe forthe the Los Angeles Clippers was arrested Monday morning after police discovered a gun in his car during a traffic stop in Howard County Wilcox 22 who was the eighth pick in the 2002 draft after helping the Terrapins win the championship championship championship champi champi- could not provide proof that the Ruger revolver belonged to him or that he had a permit to carry it Howard County police said Wilcox was stopped on southbound Route 29 in Columbia at 2 am a.m. after an officer saw him struggling to stay in a lane police said When Officer Bryon Dietzel asked Wilcox if he had been drinking he said Yes I had one drink according to court records Dietzel called for backup a nearby K 9 unit arrived and Wilcox performed a field sobriety test which he heI I 33 o 0 oJ vi iTI rIft n-n n I passed 0 This did not involve ea a breathalyzer said Sherry Llewellyn a police spokes spokes- woman If its it's evident a driver is not impaired a breathalyzer wouldn't be administered However the dog did react to the silver BMW V with California license plates that Wilcox was driving driving driving dri dri- dri- dri ving and the officer asked if there was anything inside the vehicle Wilcox of Boulder Ridge Road in Laurel said there was a gun Officers searched the car carand carand carand and found the weapon with one spent casing in it behind the front passenger seat Dietzel also found several bullets and two spent shell casings according to poli police e. e Wilcox was charged with transporting a handgun in a vehicle which carries a maximum three years in in prison and 2500 fine He was released on his own recognizance Monday A passenger inside the BMW V was not charged Llwellyn said she did not know when the gun was fired or where Wilcox had been earlier that night Attempts to reach Wilcox on Monday by phone and in person at the Laurel address he provided to police were unsuccessful His attorney did not return phone calls seeking comment Wilcox foot 6 and pounds played two seasons seasons seasons sea sea- sons at the University of Maryland before being drafted by the Clippers in 2002 He signed a three- three year contract worth a reported 61 million In three seasons in Los Angeles Wilcox has averaged aver aver- r 7 aged 70 points and reb Last Il season he ne averaged 79 points and 42 rebounds in about 19 minutes minutes minutes min min- utes per game Wilcox was a starter on Maryland's national championship championship championship cham cham- team as a sophomore sophomore sophomore more averaging points and 71 rebounds In the semifinal victory over Kansas Wilcox scored 18 points and blocked four shots Earlier in the tournament tournament tournament ment he scored a career- career high 23 points and brought down 11 rebounds against then 1 Duke |
