Smith will be cited for role in accident

Guard, passenger still hospitalized

Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News

Published June 11, 2007 at midnight

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Nuggets guard J.R. Smith will be cited for his role in a New Jersey automobile accident Saturday night that left one man in critical condition.

Smith will be issued a summons for failure to stop at a stop sign and improper passing, Trooper Wayne Blanchard of the New Jersey State Police said Sunday.

Authorities expect to conduct a formal interview with Smith later this week and are looking into other charges, Blanchard said.

Smith was hospitalized with minor injuries from the accident in Millstone Township, N.J.

Smith and passenger Andre Bell, 21, of East Orange, N.J., were thrown from the vehicle after colliding head- on with a four-door Jaguar driven by Lynn Sinatra, 49.

Bell was flown to Jersey Shore University Hospital in Neptune, where he remained listed in critical condition late Sunday. Smith was taken to the same hospital by ambulance and is expected to be released soon.

Carl Marshall, also a passenger in Smith's sport utility vehicle who this year completed his senior season playing basketball for Seton Hall, was not ejected.

Sinatra and Marshall suffered minor injuries and were taken to CentraState Medical Center in Freehold, where they were treated and later released. Police said both were wearing seat belts; Bell and Smith were not.

According to New Jersey police, Smith drove around a vehicle that was parked at a stop sign, then was struck by the Jaguar after entering the intersection.

Smith might be charged related to injuries suffered by the others, said Sgt. Stephen Jones of the New Jersey State Police.

Bell, who was in the back seat of Smith's GMC Yukon, suffered what Jones said is a "life-threatening" head injury.

"We're relieved that J.R. Smith's injuries are not serious," Nuggets vice president of player personnel Rex Chapman said. "But our thoughts and prayers are with everybody in the accident."

Chapman said he spoke "briefly" Saturday night with Smith and also spoke with Smith's father, Earl.

Jones said Smith has "internal injuries," but Chapman was not as specific.

"He was pretty shaken up," Chapman said.

"But he was well enough to talk on the phone."

Smith was involved in an accident Feb. 2 while driving a vehicle that belonged to teammate Carmelo Anthony, who was a passenger. Nuggets coach George Karl said at the time it was a "fender bender."

Smith and Anthony were not injured and both played in a game that night.

Smith, acquired last offseason, is under contract for next season for $2.13 million, but the Nuggets could sign him to an extension by Oct. 31.

Also on Saturday, police in Greenwood Village arrested 6-foot-9, 210-pound Nuggets guard DerMarr Johnson for resisting arrest and interfering with police outside a nightclub.

Police said Johnson and two women were encountered outside the Purple Martini about 1:30 a.m. Saturday.

Police used a Taser on Johnson to calm him. The women, Emerald Thomas, 25, and Nephatearia Jenkins, 27, were arrested and charged with disturbing the peace.

Everyone has been released.

Johnson, who has played the past three seasons with the Nuggets, will become an unrestricted free agent July 1.

There is a good possibility he won't return to the team after playing sparingly last season.

Chapman said the Nuggets are aware of the episode but had no comment.

Staff writer Bianca Prieto and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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