After three police incidents in the span of five days, former NBA-er Isaiah "J.R." Rider knew he'd have to take his game to another level if he wanted to stay on top. Kidnapping an infant should do the trick.
Police in Mesa, Arizona, launched a brief manhunt last night after Rider Jr. allegedly went on the lam with his one-month-old son, Isaiah Rider IV, who he does not have legal custody of. (Don't ask me what happened to Isaiah III.) They were found last night around 1:00 a.m., unharmed. But this was already the fourth time this month that police have had to wrangle the troubled athlete.
On April 4, he was accused of pulling his fianceé out of a car and shoving her to the ground in a dispute over money. (He says they were just "tussling.") Later that day, he took a cab to Phoenix and back and then stiffed the driver on the $150 fare. After that, police put him under surveillance, which is how a few days later they spotted him driving "erratically." As he was pulled over, he jumped out of the vehicle and tried to run, but eventually gave up and came back. He probably got winded after about 94 feet.
Believe it or not, this is not the first time Rider has been accused of kidnapping someone he knows. In 2006, he was charged with domestic violence after taking a female friend in his car against her will. Or fought with a cab driver. Or resisted arrest. Add in drug charges, gun charges, driving charges and other assorted hooliganism and it's obvious the guy has kept himself busy since his (somewhat forced) retirement from the NBA in 2001.
Heck, he's had a busy week. After all this crime, the poor guy needs a vacation.
PD: Former NBA player abducts 1-month-old son in Mesa [ABC15.com]
Troubled former NBA player arrested in Mesa [AZ Central]