N.Y. Jets Player Drove 143 MPH With Child in Car, Fled Cops: Prosecutor

A New York Jets player who was already suspended for four games by the NFL for drug use now faces charges that he drove 143 mph with a child in his car and fled police.

Third-year defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, 24, has been charged by the St. Charles County, Mo. prosecutor with resisting arrest, along with numerous traffic violations following the July 14 incident.

Two other adult males and a 12-year-old child were passengers in the vehicle driven by Richardson. The passengers were not charged, according to the prosecutor, Office of Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar announced in a Thursday release.

A fully loaded semi-automatic handgun was recovered from the driver’s side floor mat, and police detected a “very strong odor” of burned marijuana coming from the car and the passengers, according a probable cause statement.

Richardson has been suspended for the first four games of the NFL season for repeatedly failing drug tests for marijuana use.

On July 14, police in Missouri observed two vehicles traveling at “exceedingly” high rates of speed on westbound I-64 in St. Charles County in what appeared to be a road race, according to the prosecutor’s office.

As officers attempted a routine traffic stop, the driver of a 2014 Bentley Silver Spur increased its speed to avoid apprehension by the officers, exited the interstate and sped through a traffic light, and then turned off all of its vehicle lights, according to the prosecutor.

Officers clocked the vehicle traveling at a rate of speed as high as 143 MPH. The driver then turned into a driveway of home in a nearby neighborhood, and officers were able to observe the brake lights and pulled in behind the vehicle, according to the prosecutor.

Officers later determined the identity of the driver as Richardson, who complied with the officers’ demand to exit the vehicle. Summonses were issued, and Richardson was released without further incident.

Resisting Arrest is a class A misdemeanor, and is punishable upon conviction by up to one year in jail, and/or a fine of up to $1,000.00.

Richardson has been ordered to appear in St. Charles County Circuit Court on Oct. 27 for arraignment.

Richardson spoke to reporters after the Jets’ first practice of training camp this week, but before the news was released about the incident; the Jets say they were not aware of the incident until they saw media reports, according to NBCPhiladelphia.

“I apologized to my teammates and my organization and I told them they don’t have to worry about my name being in the news again.”

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