Police examine fight involving two Blazers
Qyntel Woods and Darius Miles are part of a brawl in the parking lot of a North Portland strip club early Thursday
03/19/04
JASON QUICK
Portland Police are investigating a fight at a strip club early Thursday morning that involved Trail Blazers players Darius Miles and Qyntel Woods.
Miles and Woods were in a brawl against at least three other men. It started in the Exotica International Club for Men at 240 N.E. Columbia Blvd. and spilled into the parking lot. Police responded to a dispatch at 2:25 a.m. that 10 to 15 people were fighting in the parking lot and that "people were trying to run over others" with their cars.
When police arrived, no one was around, and other officers were called off the incident. No arrests have been made, but Northeast Precinct officers are continuing to investigate.
"Apparently there was a fight, and we are still trying to gather the facts," Blazers president Steve Patterson said. "We don't have a comment until we can gather all the information we can."
Patterson said he interviewed Miles on Thursday but was unable to speak with Woods, who was in Seattle to attend the NCAA Tournament. From a witness' account to The Oregonian and from Miles' account to Patterson, it appears that the other party at one point was trying to run over Woods with a car.
Coach Maurice Cheeks, who met with Patterson and Blazers legal counsel late Thursday night -- causing him to be 45 minutes late to a charity event in Oregon City -- said it is too early to assign blame.
"I'm waiting on the facts," Cheeks said. "But sometimes when people get into altercations it's not their fault. We still have to wait until all the facts come in. I'm going to believe Darius and Qyntel until I hear otherwise."
Patterson and Cheeks said Miles and Woods sustained no serious injuries. The Blazers play Saturday at home against Orlando, and Patterson said he expects Miles and Woods will be able to play.
Portland Police Sgt. Cheryl Robinson said a witness contacted police later and said the fight apparently started after a Blazers player picked up some "garbage-type" item and, the witness said, threw it at another person, striking the man in the head.
The Exotica acknowledged that an incident occurred but declined to comment.
The Blazers returned to Portland shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday after losing 80-71 in Indianapolis on Wednesday night to the Indiana Pacers.
Miles, 22, was traded to the Blazers on Jan. 21 from Cleveland and has had no troubles outside of missing a team meeting before the Feb. 24 game at Orlando. He is the starting small forward, averaging 11.9 points and 4.6 rebounds since joining the Blazers.
Woods, 23, was fined by the Blazers last month after being in a car whose driver was cited for marijuana possession. He also was cited for marijuana possession last March after his car was pulled over for speeding on Interstate 5 in Portland. Woods is a reserve forward averaging 3.8 points in 11.6 minutes.
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