Jaguars’ Jones is arrested on drug charge

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Matt Jones faces a felony drug charge in Fayetteville, Ark., after police say he was inside a car cutting up cocaine with a credit card.

Jones, 25, and two other men were arrested early Thursday. A police report said officers approached the car and an officer drew his handgun after Jones did not immediately show his hands.

Police said they searched the vehicle and found a plastic bag filled with a white substance that tested positive for cocaine and a jar with possible marijuana residue.

Jared Hicks and Benjamin Cook were also arrested on misdemeanor drug charges.

Jones was released from the Washington County jail on $2,500 bond. His arraignment on a charge of felony possession of a controlled substance was set for Aug. 11, two days after Jacksonville’s exhibition opener against Atlanta.

Police said six grams of cocaine was found. The threshold for potential charges of possession with intent to deliver is one gram. However, prosecutor John Threet said there was no evidence that Jones intended to deal the drug.

Teddy Dupay, who played on Florida’s runner-up team in the 2000 NCAA basketball tournament, was charged with beating and raping a woman last month in Park City, Utah.

Dupay acknowledged in court documents that he and the woman got “a little rough” but denied rape. The woman said she and Dupay had a two-year relationship, although it was not clear whether they were still a couple when police were called to a lodge June 19.

Investigators say the woman had two fractured ribs, bruises on her arm, shoulder and thigh a swollen left eye and scratches on her back. The woman said Dupay kicked and punched her repeatedly before she was raped, according to court documents.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back Brian Williams has been found not guilty of drunk driving. Had he been convicted, Williams faced up to a year in jail.

Olympic swimmer Erik Vendt filed a counterclaim in federal court in Santa Ana against TYR Sport for breach of contract and slander. Vendt -- along with the parent company of Speedo (Warnaco Swimwear, Inc.), USA Swimming and its Coach Mark Schubert -- had been sued in May by TYR, which alleged a conspiracy among the parties to steer swimmers to Speedo suits.

At issue is a clause in Vendt’s contact with TYR, which allowed him to wear a suit from another manufacturer “without forfeiting compensation, if TYR’s swimsuit was not reasonably comparable to a competitor’s suit.”

-- Lisa Dillman

PRO BASKETBALL

Kings’ Miller is suspended by NBA

Brad Miller of the Sacramento Kings was suspended for five games by the NBA because the center violated the league’s drug program. Miller, whose ban is set to begin with the first game of the 2008-09 season, averaged 13.4 points and 9.5 rebounds in 72 games last season.

hicago’s JamesOn Curry was suspended for one game by the NBA after the Bulls guard pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors in Idaho. Curry was arrested in January and pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and urinating in public.

Dee Brown, who spent last season in Turkey, signed an offer sheet from the Washington Wizard. The Utah Jazz, who retained Brown’s NBA rights while he was overseas, have seven days to match the offer. . . . The San Antonio Spurs and free agent Roger Mason agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth more than $7 million. . . . The Houston Rockets signed free agent Brent Barry to a two-year contract.

The U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team added DeLisha Milton-Jones, Tamika Catchings and Kara Lawson to the roster.

-- Dan Arritt

MISCELLANY

Afghanistan Olympian is missing

The only female athlete on Afghanistan’s team for the Beijing Olympics is missing from a training camp in Italy and apparently is seeking political asylum in Norway. Mehboba Ahdyar, a 19-year-old runner who competes in the 800 meters and 1,500 meters, hasn’t been heard from since leaving the training center in Formia last week. Her luggage and passport also were gone.

Two German clubs must send their Brazilian players to the Beijing Olympics, FIFA ruled. Werder Bremen had refused to release Diego, a 23-year-old midfielder, and Schalke wanted to keep its 22-year-old defender Rafinha at home. The German clubs said the Beijing Games in August conflict with the European season’s start.

World football’s governing body responded by restating its rule obliging clubs to release players 23 or under “in view of the importance of the Olympic Tournament for the entire sporting movement in general and football in particular.”

USC basketball Coach Tim Floyd said that he might not know until the end of August if standout Compton High forward DeMar DeRozan will be academically eligible to play for the Trojans later this year. DeRozan is awaiting a score from the ACT college entrance exam, and is also enrolled in summer classes “to enhance his GPA in the event there’s not [ACT] improvement,” Floyd said. The player’s eligibility will be determined on a sliding scale that factors in GPA and test scores.

“I’m hopeful,” Floyd said. “He’s a great kid who’s worked very hard to go to college.”

-- Lance Pugmire

With strong storms moving through the area, NASCAR officials canceled Sprint Cup series qualifying at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. The field for Saturday’s race will be set according to car owner points, putting series points leader Kyle Busch on the pole position and Dale Earnhardt Jr. alongside him on the front row.

PASSINGS

Souchak, 81, was PGA Tour pro

Former PGA Tour professional Mike Souchak, 81, died in Belleair, Fla. Souchak won 15 events on the PGA Tour from 1955-66 and had 11 top-10 finishes in major championships.