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By Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News Denver Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer was ticketed for destruction of property for an alleged road-rage confrontation with another motorist last month, Englewood police said Tuesday. "It was unsportsmanlike conduct," said the alleged victim, Doug Stone, of the quarterback's behavior on April 20. "I know he's under a lot of pressure, and he just has a lot of competition now," said Stone, referring to first-round draft pick Jay Cutler, the Vanderbilt quarterback selected two days after the alleged incident. Englewood police issued a summons Friday to Plummer at his Cherry Hills Village home. According to a news release, police said Plummer's Honda Element had rear-end damage that was consistent with the damage sustained by the Ford Ranger truck driven by Stone. Stone said the confrontation occurred when he was driving west on West Hampden Avenue and he saw the driver of a gray Honda snaking through traffic and cutting off three other motorists. As the traffic approached South Downing Street, Stone said, the Honda driver cut in front of him. When they reached the red light at Downing, Stone said the Honda had stopped ahead of him. "I laid on my horn to give him notice I didn't appreciate him cutting me off as he did the other drivers that I had witnessed," Stone, 47, said. Stone's honking apparently set off the other driver. "He had jumped out of his car and kicked my truck and said, 'Stay off my a--,' " Stone recalled. "And he jumped back in his Honda, put his Honda in reverse and backed into my truck. He tried pushing me backward." When the light turned green, the driver sped away. Stone said that after the confrontation he decided to pull off the highway, where he was joined by a witness who had copied down the license-plate number of Plummer's Honda. Stone then called the police to report the incident. Stone said he did not recognize Plummer as the man who was behind the wheel and who kicked his truck until he saw a police report identifying the quarterback as the alleged culprit. A big reason for that was that Plummer no longer had his game beard on. "I thought the guy was about 19 or 20 years old, and he lived with his parents," Stone said. Plummer, 31, who was driving with his girlfriend as a passenger, denied any wrongdoing and claimed Stone hit his Honda from behind, Stone said. Stone said that had he known the Broncos quarterback was the Honda driver he would not have honked at him. "I think he's an all-around good person from the things I heard and the way he conducts himself in his hometown and in Denver," Stone said. Neither Plummer nor his agent could be reached for comment late Tuesday. Copyright 2006, Rocky Mountain News. All Rights Reserved. |
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By Rocky Mountain News ENGLEWOOD — Denver Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer, during an impromptu news conference today, refuted allegations that he was involved in a road-rage incident last month. Responding to an allegation by Doug Stone that Plummer backed his Honda Element into Stone's Ford Ranger truck on April 20 while sitting at a red light at West Hampden Avenue and South Downing Street, the quarterback said his car was "bumped" from behind. Stone also alleged that Plummer, 31, got out and kicked his car and that words were exchanged, but Plummer denied both charges. Plummer, who said he was en route to an charity evert for the Jake Plummer Foundation, said he got out of his car to check for damage, didn't find any, got back in his car and drove away. While driving, Plummer said, he called 911 to report the accident. The QB said he has a record of the call. Stone, 47, admits that he "laid on my horn" after pulling up behind Plummer at the stop light because "I didn't appreciate him cutting me off." Stone said he witnessed Plummer's car weaving through traffic and cutting off three other motorists. As the traffic approached Downing, Stone said, the Honda driver cut in front of him. According to a news release, police said Plummer's Honda Element had rear-end damage that was consistent with the damage sustained by the Ford Ranger truck driven by Stone. Stone said the confrontation occurred when he was driving west on West Hampden Avenue and he saw the driver of a gray Honda snaking through traffic and cutting off three other motorists. As the traffic approached South Downing Street, Stone said, the Honda driver cut in front of him. When they reached the red light at Downing, Stone said the Honda had stopped ahead of him. "I laid on my horn to give him notice I didn't appreciate him cutting me off as he did the other drivers that I had witnessed," Stone, 47, said. Stone's honking apparently set off the other driver. "He had jumped out of his car and kicked my truck and said, 'Stay off my a--,' " Stone recalled. "And he jumped back in his Honda, put his Honda in reverse and backed into my truck. He tried pushing me backward." When the light turned green, the driver sped away. Stone said that after the confrontation he decided to pull off the highway, where he was joined by a witness who had copied down the license-plate number of Plummer's Honda. Stone then called the police to report the incident. Stone said he did not recognize Plummer as the man who was behind the wheel and who kicked his truck until he saw a police report identifying the quarterback as the alleged culprit. A big reason for that was that Plummer no longer had his game beard on. Copyright 2006, Rocky Mountain News. All Rights Reserved. |
