Matt Barnes Arrest: Cop Ambushed Ex Lakers Player for Personal Reasons?
Matt Barnes, former L.A. Lakers player, was arrested by a police officer who reportedly waited two hours outside a restaurant while he dined to arrest him over a traffic ticket.
While the unidentified cop came to arrest Barnes about not appearing in court for a ticket related to driving on a suspended license, the charges against the bball player is now more serious. Barnes is facing a criminal charge for threatening a cop.
Barnes reportedly had an unpleasant verbal exchange with the police officer, Manhattan Beach police Lt. Steve Tobias told the Daily News Los Angeles. The police consider Barnes' choice of words to be a threat against an officer. But in a more recent TMZ article, the entertainment news site reports that Barnes' charge is not for the verbal threat but him pulling his hand away when the police officer tried to put his hands behind his back.
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What is curious about the case is that the police officer reportedly waited in an alley near a popular Manhattan Beach for two hours even though he saw Barnes enter the restaurant and come out to retrieve something in his car that he forgot, according to TMZ. Barnes has a warrant out for his arrest for not appearing in court, but he has an active license now and thought he didn't need to go to court anymore.
The arrest happened on Monday and he was released Tuesday on a bail of $26,000 for the traffic warrant and $25,000 for the alleged threat against an officer.
"Funny how a small situation turns into a 'Urban Legend' … A $26,000 traffic ticket?? Come on now smh … Have a good night," he tweeted Tuesday.
Barnes' agent Aaron Goodwin told Sports Illustrated that Tobias has personal issues with the NBA player. The two had allegedly had a confrontation in May when Tobias pulled Barnes over and found out that he failed to appear in court. Tobias had allegedly told Barnes to park his car and walk home. Barnes had allegedly asked if his girlfriend, who was with him, could drive the car home, but the cop had reportedly said no.
Tobias has denied Barnes' agent's account of the situation, saying it is "100 percent" not true. Tobias says he has "been a lieutenant for over a year," according to the Daily News.
