Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Ex-star Gooden still a fugitive

Police are seeking the 1985 Cy Young winner, who they say fled from a traffic stop Monday.

By BRADY DENNIS, JEFF TESTERMAN and SAUNDRA AMRHEIN
Published August 24, 2005

TAMPA - Former major league baseball star Dwight Gooden remained a wanted man late Tuesday, nearly two days after he allegedly fled from a Tampa police officer attempting to arrest him on drunken driving charges.

Gooden - who lost his job as an assistant to New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in April after a domestic violence arrest - was charged in a warrant with DUI, fleeing and eluding police and resisting arrest without violence, according to police records.

"He's in serious trouble," said police spokeswoman Laura McElroy.

A police officer pulled over the 40-year-old former Mets and Yankees pitcher at 2:40 a.m. Monday on Cleveland Street because Gooden's BMW was weaving in and out of his lane, McElroy said.

The officer immediately noticed Gooden's slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and an odor of alcohol, McElroy said, and he asked Gooden to get out of the BMW for a field sobriety test.

"I'm okay," Gooden replied, McElroy said. "I'm not getting out my car."

With that, he hit the gas pedal and drove away, she said. Tampa police generally observe a no-chase policy on DUIs, so officers did not pursue Gooden.

But they did try to track him down at the homes of his mother and others close to him, McElroy said. Free on bail from his arrest this spring, Gooden might not get a second chance at bail if he is caught.

Monday's incident marks another in a long line of run-ins with the law and more trouble in a year that has seen Gooden arrested on domestic violence charges, continue a legal battle with his ex-wife and lose his $100,000-a-year job with the Yankees.

The turmoil also marks another tumble in a dramatic fall for Gooden.

In a 17-year career with the New York Mets, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Houston Astros, Gooden signed contracts worth $35-million and was the National League Cy Young award winner in 1985.

But drugs and injuries crippled the Tampa native and one-time Hillsborough High School star.

He was tossed out of baseball three different times for cocaine use. After his last suspension, in 1995, he put a 9mm pistol to his head and contemplated suicide before his wife intervened.

In March, Gooden was arrested after he was accused of punching his live-in girlfriend in the face during an argument at the couple's Harbour Island apartment. He was jailed overnight, then ordered by a judge to stay away from the woman.

Earlier this month, his oldest son found himself with legal problems, too. Dwight Eugene Gooden Jr., 19, was arrested Aug. 7 after authorities said they found marijuana and gun ammunition in his car. He also faces two counts of violation of probation on previous possession of cocaine charges.

The senior Gooden's troubles also have continued in his bitter divorce battle with his ex-wife, Monica Gooden, much of which has centered on Gooden's dwindling finances.

In court papers two years ago, Monica Gooden said her husband failed to pay household bills for her and the couple's four young children, causing the cutoff of phone service and the filing of a foreclosure suit against a mortgage on the Gooden's New Tampa home. Dwight Gooden countered with a claim that his then-wife spent irresponsibly, running up $50,000 in credit card debt in one year.

In July, a child support hearing officer stated that Gooden no longer was employed by the Yankees but recently held a private autograph signing session that was expected to yield $12,000.

On a recent trip to Miami to see one of his children at a sporting event, Gooden acknowledged in court papers he stayed at a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, rented a private limo and ate at several restaurants.

He also said he has "side employment" with retired players from time to time.

His ex-wife said that his lack of support led to electricity being turned off at her New Tampa home, forcing her to move in with her mother.

The hearing officer found that Gooden "intentionally and willfully" failed to pay child support and alimony. She suggested that he should be jailed for five days if he did not pay $12,626 by July 15. Judge Monica Sierra agreed.

James P. Knox, attorney for Monica Gooden, said Dwight Gooden did pay the money to avoid jail, but now has fallen behind more than $12,000 in support.

Gooden was ordered last year to pay $4,000 a month in alimony, $280 a month in rehabilitative alimony and $1,929 a month in child support. Sierra made those calculations based on his $100,000 a year Yankees salary and $46,500 she figured he could make from the sale of autographed sports memorabilia.

But in April, Gooden was terminated by the Yankees. Thus, he said in court papers, he no longer can afford to pay alimony and child support and asked that those amounts be reduced.

"I feel very sorry for Dwight," Steinbrenner said through spokesman Howard Rubenstein. "He left the Yankees in April of his own accord."

Yankees rightfielder Gary Sheffield, who is Gooden's nephew, said the team has standards to uphold.

"You've got to do the right thing, you've got to live a certain way and do the right things that's required," Sheffield said. "If you're not doing it, you can't expect to be working for somebody. So they did what they had to do, and his situation I'm sure got to him and hopefully he can overcome it."

In every family there are people with problems, Sheffield said, and his uncle is one in his family. "It's just one of those things where when he hurts, I hurt," he said. Monica Gooden's attorney had more to say.

"He's still living the high life, but he has a new baby and four children with his ex-wife to support, and he's not doing that," said Knox. "I'm not interested in seeing him go to jail. I just want him to pay the money he owes my client."

Information from Associated Press was included in this report. Times researcher Cathy Wos and staff writer Mike Brassfield contributed to this report.

[Last modified August 24, 2005, 01:16:13]