Knicks point guard Jason Kidd busted for DWI in Southampton after crashing into utility pole
Kidd, the former Nets star and future Hall of Famer, who signed a three-year, $9.5 million deal with the Knicks Thursday, had been pounding vodka at an exclusive club before the accident, witnesses say.
By Carson Griffith , Jennifer H. Cunningham , Barry Paddock AND Bill Hutchinson
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
July 13, 2012
He should have stuck to driving to the hoop.
Newly-signed Knick Jason Kidd was busted for drunken driving early Sunday after crashing his luxury SUV into a utility pole, capping a night of pounding vodka while partying in the Hamptons.
And the 39-year-old hoops star was feeling no pain after the crash, police documents say.
“Defendant did not know what had happened in accident,” a Southampton cop wrote of the future Hall of Famer in an arrest report.
Police were on the scene within five minutes, where they found him seated in the vehicle. Two officers helped him to get out, partially due to concerns about the live wires that were dangling from the pole.
The front of the SUV was demolished, but Kidd was not seriously injuring in the crash that snapped a utility pole off at the base, according to the accident report.
Kidd blew past a stop sign in ritzy Water Mill, L.I., about a mile and a half from his $6 million summer home at 1:56 a.m. Sunday and skidded 25 feet into the woods, hitting several trees.
When cops showed up, he reeked of alcohol, was unsteady on his feet and had bloodshot and watery eyes, according to his arrest report.
His knucklehead antics knocked out cable service to customers of his new boss — Cablevision and Knicks honcho James Dolan.
Kidd refused a Breathalyzer test, police documents show, and later refused chemical tests at Southampton Hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries before being arraigned and released later Sunday.
“I saw him lying down, completely out of it,” said Gautam Ahuja, 34, who watched police shining a flashlight on Kidd. “I think he was just so wasted.”
Ahuja’s friend said she saw Kidd leaning against the broken pole.
“He was sprawled out,” the friend said. “He was sitting on the ground with his feet stretched out in front of him.”
Witnesses said the boozed-up baller sat there for about 45 minutes before cops arrived. The crash came just four days after Kidd signed a three-year, $9.5 million deal to bring his veteran leadership and point guard prowess to the Knicks.
“Jason has pleaded not guilty to a DWI charge and awaits further court proceedings,” said Kidd’s lawyer, Ed Burke Jr.
A photograph published by TMZ showed Kidd about an hour before the crash bent over and being held up by another man as he left the East Hampton nightclub. The website reported that Kidd left the club after breaking a light fixture he tried to hang from.
“He was in no condition to drive,” a source connected to the club told the Daily News. “He was not carried out, but he was definitely holding on to some friends.”
The future Hall of Famer’s wild night began Saturday evening at a benefit for R&B singer Ne-Yo’s Compound Foundation, a nonprofit founded to empower and inspire kids in foster care and group homes.
Kidd attended the “Fostering A Legacy” benefit with his wife, former fashion model Porschla Coleman, at the private East Hampton estate of William Nuti, CEO of NCR and chairman of Sprint.
The 10-time NBA All-Star tweeted a picture from the party of him rubbing shoulders with filmmaker George Lucas, who was honored at the charity event. Other attendees included Arsenio Hall, new Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Johnson, Paula Abdul, and Kidd’s wife’s ex-boyfriend, Russell Simmons.
Guests were treated to Malibu Red rum cocktails throughout the evening.
From there, Kidd and Coleman headed to nearby SL East, a spin-off nightclub of the popular SL club in the Meatpacking District.
Coleman left the club — known for pricey bottle service and topless dancing patrons on weekends — without Kidd, who sources said was dancing and downing vodka.
While at the club, Kidd paid several visits to DJ M.O.S in the deejay booth. At one point, DJ M.O.S. gave Kidd a shout-out, telling patrons J-Kidd “was in the house.”
A source insisted that Kidd’s handler was driving the Escalade when they left the club. But cops said Kidd was alone in the SUV when he crashed.
Lights flickered in nearby homes when Kidd demolished the pole, and neighbors lost cable and Internet service for about 12 hours.
“He did a lot of damage,” said a Cablevision worker dispatched to the neighborhood.
Ricky Soares, 55, who lives nearby said he was throwing a party when the accident happened.
“That’s when the lights went out for a second and then came back on ... the TV was out. The Cablevision was out,” Soares said.
“It was a nuisance,” added neighbor Bob Lax, 76. “Cable, telephone and everything else went out. I went to use to the phone; it was dead.”
Donna Engelson, a grandmother, scolded Kidd, a father of six, for being irresponsible.
“Just because he’s Jason Kidd doesn’t mean he can drive drunk and cause a lot of property damage that we may have to pay for,” Engelson said. “He inconvenienced a lot of people.”...
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