OJ surrenders to police after road rage incident
OJ Simpson surrendered to police in Miami today on charges stemming from a road rage incident where a motorist accused him of reaching into his car and pulling off his glasses.
Simpson walked into a Miami-Dade County jail at noon Friday, then was taken to an unmarked police car and driven to the back of the sprawling jail to be booked on burglary and assault charges.
Motorist Jeffrey Pattinson, 55, said Simpson, one of America’s most famous football stars, caused a small scratch on his face when he pulled the glasses off during the dispute.
Pattinson told police he slammed on his brakes and honked his horn at a black Lincoln Navigator after he saw the vehicle drive past a stop sign.
The Navigator stopped, and Simpson got out and walked toward Pattinson’s car, where they argued briefly, according to Pattinson’s account.
Pattinson said he heard a young girl shouting, ‘‘No, Daddy, no, Daddy, no!’’ when Simpson reached into his car and grabbed his glasses.
Simpson has denied wrongdoing. He said Pattinson shouted at him and he shouted back, then returned to his car and drove his two youngest children home.
A jury acquitted Simpson of the June 1994 murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.
In a subsequent civil trial, Simpson was found liable for the killings in a suit filed by their families. He was ordered to pay £23 million in damages.
Simpson moved to the Miami area early last year. Since then, police have responded three times to reported disturbances between Simpson and his on-and-off girlfriend, Christie Prody.
Most recently, police were called to his home in late January after a neighbour called to report an argument. Prody told police Simpson was angry that she came home late.
