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Former Detroit Lion charged for terrorizing flight

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- Former NFL defensive lineman Alonzo Spellman was charged last week by federal authorities with terrorizing 138 people on a flight from Cincinnati to Philadelphia, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing.

During the July 23 flight, Spellman allegedly said the plane was going to crash, shouted obscenities and threatened the flight attendants. The pilot was given permission to land ahead of schedule at Philadelphia International Airport while other flights were diverted.

Spellman was allowed to leave the airport after being questioned by the police. He was arrested and taken to a psychiatric hospital after causing another disturbance later in the day at his brother's home in Mount Holly, New Jersey. He allegedly tore down a screen door and broke windows and pictures around the house. His brother was not home at the time, and no one was injured.

Spellman, who was charged with interfering with a flight crew, has a history of behavioral problems. He underwent treatment at a Chicago hospital in 1998 following an armed standoff with police. Spellman was charged last month with drunken driving in Michigan but missed a scheduled July 23 court date.

Spellman was released by the Detroit Lions last October, possibly bringing an end to his career. A 1992 first-round draft choice out of Ohio State, Spellman recorded 247 tackles and 43 sacks throughout his career.

Harding pleads out in drunk driving case

VANCOUVER, Washington -- If former Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding can stay out of trouble for the next five years, she will have her drunk driving charges dropped, according to terms of a plea deal reached Monday.

Harding, 31, was charged after she failed a sobriety test following an April 20 crash that left her pickup truck in a ditch. Her blood alcohol level was 0.16 percent, twice the state limit, police said. Harding claimed that the power steering in her truck failed. Neither Harding nor her passenger, 23-year-old Christopher Nolan, was injured in the crash.

The plea agreement requires Harding to complete two years of outpatient alcohol counseling. She also had to admit that she drove drunk and that she has an alcohol problem.

In January, Harding was evicted from her home for not paying her landlord $4,530 in rent, late fees and other costs. She had been living in the ranch house since August 2000, but had not paid rent between November 2001 and January. In May 2000, Harding was sentenced to three days in Clark County jail for assaulting her former boyfriend with a hubcap.

Harding's name became synonymous with scandal after rival figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was assaulted by Harding's boyfriend before the 1994 U.S. National Championship and the Winter Olympics.

Arizona player pleads not guilty to fight-related charges

TUCSON, Arizona -- University of Arizona wide receiver Bobby Wade pleaded not guilty July 31 to misdemeanor charges resulting from a fight outside a nightclub.

Early on June 23, Wade and two friends were driving around a nightclub parking lot to pick someone up. One of the passengers got in an argument with another man that escalated to a fight. Wade says he tried to break up the fight. Police, who later found a handgun in Wade's vehicle, say they had to use pepper spray to get the football player under control.

Wade faces three misdemeanor charges for assault and disorderly conduct. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Sept. 6.

Coach John Mackovic has not taken any disciplinary action, but the situation is under review, according to University of Arizona spokesman Richard Paige. The team is waiting until all the facts are in, he added.

Wade led the Wildcats last season with 62 receptions for 882 yards and eight touchdowns. He is expected to be the top receiver for Arizona this fall.

Arizona players involved in bar brawl

TUCSON, Arizona -- Three University of Arizona football players were charged with disorderly conduct following a fight outside a bar early July 28.

Tight end Javier Martinez, 21, cornerback Danny Perry and defensive end Andre Torrey, both 20, were involved in the brawl, police said. Martinez faces an additional charge of criminal damage for pushing over a motorcycle that was parked nearby.

The players say the fight started after someone threw a bottle in their direction. As more people got involved, the fight moved from inside the bar to the sidewalk outside.

No disciplinary action has yet been taken, but with the football team coming in for its first official practice on Thursday, a decision should be made soon, university spokesman Richard Paige said.

Perry is a reserve who has seen some time on special teams and Torrey and Martinez are both newcomers to the team.

High school coach loses license over sexual language

BROOKHAVEN, Mississippi-- A former high school softball coach has permanently lost his license to teach in Mississippi after pleading guilty to eight misdemeanor charges.

Aurelio Quinn, 25, was accused of using lewd and sexual language with five female high school students and touching one girl in a sexual manner as she left his classroom. The district attorney's office determined that he did not try to rape any of the girls.

Quinn was sentenced Monday to five years in prison but the sentence was suspended in exchange for the revocation of his teacher's license.

Quinn originally faced three felony counts of attempted sexual battery, one felony count of touching a child for lustful purposes and four misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The felony charges were reduced to misdemeanors.