Friday, October 14, 2005

Associated Press Darko Milicic's license was suspended on Aug. 5 because he failed to pay two tickets that were issued on May 12.

Traffic violations surprise Milicic

Piston didn't know his license was suspended and tinted windows on the front glass is illegal.

By Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

Milicic Darko's driving record • Nov. 18, 2003 -- Michigan license renewed • Feb. 21, 2004 -- Rochester Hills, speeding 60 mph in a 55 (ticket written by Oakland Sheriff's Dept., which covers Rochester Hills) • Sept. 10, 2004 -- Secretary of State sends driver improvement correspondence (all new drivers are on three years probation in Michigan, and he was ticketed within that time) • May 12, 2005 -- Rochester Hills, speeding 75 in a 70-mph zone; plus ticket for unspecified equipment violation. Written by Michigan State Police. • Aug. 5, 2005 -- License is suspended twice for failure to comply with judgment because he did not pay either of the tickets issued on May 12. Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

AUBURN HILLS -- It won't be much consolation to him but Darko Milicic isn't the first Pistons player to be arrested for driving with a suspended license.

In 1990, soon after the Pistons had won their second straight NBA championship, John Salley was arrested in Ferndale for the same offense.

Flash forward 15 years to Wednesday afternoon and there was Milicic, handcuffed and stuffed into the back of a Sterling Heights police car.

"They pulled me over, told me my license was suspended," Milicic said Thursday morning. "(The police officer) told me to get out of the car. He said I had to go with him."

Milicic, 20, was driving his 2004 Audi and was on his way to a shopping mall with some friends, when he was pulled over at the intersection of 16 Mile and Mound roads at approximately 4 p.m.

According to the police report, Milicic was pulled over because he had tinted glass on the front windows on both sides of the car. Milicic, who had been driving the car for more than a year, said he didn't know it was illegal to have tinted glass on the front windows.

After running the license plate, the officer discovered that Milicic was driving on a suspended license.

He had two outstanding citations, one an equipment violation and the other a speeding ticket, both written by Rochester police last year.

"They said I didn't pay some tickets," Milicic said. "I got them last year. I was supposed to take care of them, and I thought I did. Obviously, I didn't. I will take care of them as soon as I can."

Milicic, who was polite and cooperative with the police, was taken to the Sterling Heights police station, booked and then released on $100 bond.

He was in custody about an hour.

He will have to appear in court, as early as next week.

"He will go through the process and it will all work out," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "One of the things about guys coming here from overseas, some times they don't understand. Sometimes they figure because they don't hear anything that nothing's wrong. He will go through the process, get it straightened out and be all right."

Saunders said there would be no disciplinary action taken by the team. Milicic was asked what he was thinking about when the handcuffs were being slapped on.

"I just wanted to get some food," he said.

Milicic was expected to play in the Pistons' exhibition game against the Milwaukee Bucks Thursday night.

You can reach Chris McCosky at (313) 222-1489 or chris.mccosky@detnews.com.