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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 9:50 a.m., Monday, February 16, 2009

NBA: Suns' Richardson charged with reckless driving

Associated Press

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Phoenix Suns guard Jason Richardson was arrested in Scottsdale after police said he was driving 55 mph above the limit with his unrestrained 3-year-old son in the car.

A Scottsdale police officer first saw Richardson driving 67 mph in a 40 mph zone Sunday night and followed him, police said Monday. That's when the officer clocked him at 90 mph in a 35 mph zone and pulled him over.

Police said Richardson admitted to speeding and identified himself as a Suns player. The officer saw Richardson's son in the back seat of the car and that he was not in a child seat.

Richardson said he had taken his son to dinner and was on his way home.

He was arrested and charges with reckless driving, excessive speeding and failure to use a child seat. He was released from jail after a few hours.

Police said Richardson's wife responded to the scene of the stop and took custody of the boy.

Richardson was cited in December on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. He was stopped by a Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community police officer and accused of having a blood alcohol level above 0.08 percent and of failure to drive in one lane.

At the time, Richardson called the incident "one stupid mistake I made," and he said he hoped it wouldn't change the public's perception of him.

Richardson and forward Jared Dudley were traded in December 2008 to the Suns in exchange for guards Raja Bell and Sean Singletary, and forward Boris Diaw.