Cincinnati Police arrest DT Askew

By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer

Bengals defensive tackle Matthias Askew was arrested overnight by Cincinnati Police, charged with three misdemeanors and held for more than two hours at the Hamilton County Justice Center.

Askew, 24, was charged with obstruction of police business, resisting arrest and two parking violations. The incident took place at 7:57 Saturday night in the 3700 block of Beekman Street in South Cumminsville.

The arrest report starts that Cincinnati Police approached Askew, who had parked his vehicle, a 2004 Cadillac Escalade, on the sidewalk outside a business. Police asked Askew to move his vehicle, but he continued to shop for audio CDs.

Police then told Askew he would receive a parking ticket. He got into his vehicle and attempted to drive away. Police told Askew he was not free to leave and instructed him to park his vehicle.

The police report then states that Askew – who is 6-feet-5, 302 pounds – exited his vehicle and immediately took a “fighting stance.” He was arrested at Taser point, and when police attempted to handcuff Askew, he struggled and attempted to get away. At that point, police used their Tasers on Askew, shooting small dart-like electrodes with attached metal into his body, to subdue him.

Askew was brought into the justice center at 2:08 a.m. Bond of $248 was posted, and Askew was released at 4:45 a.m. He is to appear in court at 12:30 p.m. Monday in Room A, Hamilton County Common Pleas, according to county records.

Askew was one of the Bengals’ fourth-round draft picks in 2004. He played at Michigan State and had played in only six games his first two seasons with the Bengals. Teammates said that Askew had an outstanding spring on the field.

Askew becomes the latest in a series of Bengals players to have legal problems. Wide receiver Chris Henry was arrested four times in seven months (December to June). Rookie linebacker A.J. Nicholson was charged with grand theft, theft and vandalism, stemming from a May incident in Tallahassee, Fla. Rookie defensive end Frostee Rucker faces spousal abuse and vandalism charges in Los Angeles, stemming from an August 2005 incident involving an ex-girlfriend.

Second-year middle linebacker Odell Thurman will be suspended for the first four games of the season for a second violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. And rookie linebacker Ahmad Brooks, selected earlier this month in the supplemental draft, was dismissed from the University of Virginia team in March and has a history of drug abuse issues.

The Bengals’ policy is not to comment on ongoing legal issues of their players before legal resolution.
E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com