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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 2:16 p.m., Monday, October 20, 2008

NFL: Chiefs' Johnson being investigated in new case

By JOHN MARSHALL
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson is being investigated for allegedly spitting a drink in a woman's face at a nightclub, the fourth time in five years he's been accused of assaulting a woman.

Kansas City police are looking into a report of non-aggravated assault against Johnson for telling a woman that he was going to kill her boyfriend then spitting in her face at Club Blonde on Oct. 10.

The case has been assigned to a detective and will be investigated as resources allow, police spokesman Capt. Rich Lockhart said. Johnson has not been charged.

Ashley Stewart, 24, told police she had left the nightclub in Kansas City's Country Club Plaza district but re-entered around 1:45 a.m. to find a friend. Johnson, who had tried to buy her a drink at the same club a week earlier, asked the friend to have Stewart come over, according to the police report.

Johnson got close to Stewart while swinging his arms belligerently, then said, "All I wanted (to) tell you is I'm going to kill your boyfriend," the report said.

Johnson kept talking to Stewart and spit the drink in her face after she backed away, the report said.

Stewart told police that Johnson's bodyguards then tackled her and that bouncers from the club escorted her outside. Johnson tried to spit on her three more times while walking to his car after the club manager asked him to leave, the report said.

Johnson already faces a Dec. 3 court date on a charge of simple assault for shoving the side of a woman's face at a club in February. He faces a maximum jail term of six months and a $500 fine on the charge filed last month.

The Chiefs deactivated Johnson for Sunday's game against Tennessee for violating unspecified team rules. A team spokesman said the benching was unrelated to the current investigation, and coach Herm Edwards said Monday that Johnson is expected to play this week against the New York Jets.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello declined comment, saying the league had nothing to add to a statement issued by Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson on Sunday.

Johnson's troubles are nothing new.

He was charged in 2003 with felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor domestic battery for waving a gun during an argument with a former girlfriend at his home. The charges were dropped when Johnson agreed to a domestic violence diversion program.

Johnson also had charges against him dropped in 2005 after a woman who accused him of pushing her to the ground at a Kansas City bar failed to appear in three court hearings.