Former Sun Devils running
back charged with murder
BY MFX REISNER
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TEMPE, Ariz. — Former Arizona
State running back Loren Wade was
charged Tuesday with first-degree
Tnurder in the shooting of another for
mer Sun Devils player.
The 21-year-old Wade has been
held without bond since Saturday,
when he was arrested at the slaying
site outside a Scottsdale, Ariz.,
nightspot. Witnesses say they saw
him approach the car of Brandon
Falkner, and exchange words with
Falkner before a gunshot rang out.
Falkner, 25, was killed by a bullet.
Before Wade was charged Tliesday,
Arizona State head coach Dirk Koet
ter said at a news conference he had
been concerned by Wade's behavior
since September, but never interpret
ed any of it as cause for alarm.
“I did not connect that dot,”
Koetter said. “I missed it.”
Koetter said Wade made verbal
threats against two female athletes
and was involved in two other inci
dents. Koetter declined to elaborate.
Wade’s girlfriend, former Arizona
State soccer player Haley van
Blommestein, is one of two women
who felt Wade threatened them.
The other was gymnast Tisha
Dixon, who told her coach John Spini
that Wade was enraged at her be
cause she told a friend she saw Wade
with another woman, and word got
back to van Blommestein and Wade,
who were living in Los Angeles.
Wade phoned Dixon on Nov. 24
and allegedly warned her to stay out
of his business.
“There was no gun involved in
that threat,” Spini said. “But she
was afraid for her life, she said. ‘Just
don’t be walking alone.’ To me,
that’s a threat.”
Spini said Dixon asked him not to
get the police involved, and the inci
dent blew over after Wade apologized
to both of them.
Wade set a school freshman rush
ing record in 2003, but played only
three games last year before he was
suspended for the season for receiv
ing improper benefits involving an
overdue utility bill.
Even earlier, Wade was troubled.
He told Koetter in September he
wanted to give up football out of fear
of getting hurt.
“I’ve never had a player tell me
that,” said Koetter, who sent Wade to
a counselor. Koetter theorized that
Wade was feeling guilty about the im
proper-benefits scandal, which in
volved the firing of a school compli
ance officer for using her line of credit
to pay his utility bill.
At some point after Wade’s sus
pension, he broke off the counsel
ing sessions.
IN BRIEF
Seahawks sign defensive
back Herndon for five years
KIRKLAND, Wash. — Kelly Hern
don was on the verge of falling out of
football so often he had no choice but
to be mentally strong.
After being cut three times and
spending a season on the Denver prac
tice squad before catching on with the
Broncos, Herndon’s perseverance has
paid off with a five-year, $15 million
contract with the Seattle Seahawks.
“I am elated, and it’s just a bless
ing,” Herndon said Tliesday at team
headquarters, adding he can tell his
story back in his hometown of T\vins
burg, Ohio, to prove “that you can
keep working at what you do and nev
er give up.”
Herndon started all 16 games for
the Denver Broncos last season and
led the team with 20 passes defensed
and was fifth with 77 tackles. He had
two interceptions.
He will join a talented but young
secondary in Seattle, including cor
nerback Marcus Trufant and safeties
Ken Hamlin and Michael Boulware.
He is expected to take the spot of Ken
Lucas, who signed a six-year contract
with the Carolina Panthers. Lucas
tied for the NFC lead with six inter
ceptions last season.
Herndon will be reunited with Seat
tle defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes,
who held the same position in Denver
in 2001 and 2002. The possibility of
playing for Rhodes was a factor in
Herndon’s decision.
“I like how he goes about what he
does,” Herndon said. “I like how the
defense plays and they get after it,
and it’s a chance to get out there and
make plays to help this team win. It’s
a great situation.”
Seattle signed Herndon, a restricted
free agent, to an offer sheet March 17.
Denver had one week to match the
Seahawks’ offer and chose not to. Be
cause Herndon had signed with the
Broncos as an unrestricted free agent,
Seattle will not lose a draft pick.
Herndon’s looking forward to his
chance to grow with Seattle’s youth
ful secondary.
“I like how they play,” Herndon
said. “It’s a young group, but we’re
definitely going to jell together and get
it done.”
The Associated Press
CURE CANCER
with your old couch!
Donate to a chanty garage sale
to help Mieka Hopps pay
for her medical bills.
n
is
g MIEKA HOPPS, a U of O
c student was recently diagnosed
c with Hodgson’s Lymphoma. She
| is in high spirits while currently
undergoingchemotherapy, but
she needs your help
| Please donate sellable items.
Items can be picked up!
Contact Aaron or Cevinah for
questions or assistance at
or
aaronhopps@gmail.com.
£ Don’t forget to attend the sale
E April ?th & lOth at ++5 E }2nd.
|c
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021277
*1/0ednebdaij,
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$26 {Le>i Go-uple
A Night To Remember
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two dishes
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• full bottle of Oregano's
house wine
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