As a Los Angeles accident lawyer, I’m not sure who got a bigger surprise: the pro basketball player or the police officers on a routine call? I’m guessing it was the California Highway Patrol officers who had their guns drawn as they approached a speeding vehicle, only to find that it’s occupant was none other than the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, Tyreke Evans. The Sacramento Kings guard was spotted by a Cessna 206 Turbo, speeding at 130mph on Interstate 80, with complete disregard for any posted speed limit.
According to this report, the Highway patrol will be cracking down on more and more speeding drivers not only from the ground, but from the skies. With the assistance of a spotter plane, law enforcement officials have been able to write over 1,500 citations on just 90 missions.
The NBA star was issued a citation for reckless driving in his 2010 Mercedes S550. I’m glad to see that he wasn’t given any preferential treatment just because of his fame and recognition. Too often, professional athletes think they are above the law and it’s up to law enforcement to make sure they don’t get away with reckless, immature behavior. Particularly when their actions put the lives of other people at risk. It goes without saying that Evans could have easily killed someone had he caused a car accident at those speeds.
