Nikoloz Tskitishvili > Articles

Tskitishvili runs afoul of traffic laws
By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News
February 12, 2003

LOS ANGELES - Denver Nuggets forward Nikoloz Tskitishvili, a rookie from the Republic of Georgia, had a brush with the legal system he won't soon forget.

Tskitishvili was detained for five hours Monday at the downtown Denver police station. While on his way to the airport to catch the team charter flight, he was stopped on Interstate 70 because of expired dealer license tags. A computer check revealed Tskitishvili had not paid a speeding ticket he said he got in January.

Tskitishvili missed the charter flight and a practice Monday in Los Angeles. He is expected to incur fines of $2,500 for missing the flight, $2,500 for missing the practice and to have to pay for his flight Monday night to Los Angeles.

"I forgot about (the speeding ticket)," said Tskitishvili, who had four points in 16 minutes in Tuesday night's 121-93 loss to the Lakers. "I'm not a criminal. It was a little problem, but they made it bigger. It's not nice to be in the police station five hours."

Tskitishvili said police told him his Lincoln Navigator would be towed. Instead, Tskitishvili said it was left on the side of the road, and was later stolen.

"It's their fault," Tskitishvili said of the police.

Tskitishvili learned of the theft Tuesday morning after his Navigator was recovered. He said it was stripped.

Tskitishvili said he paid a $300 fine to take care of the speeding ticket. He is confident "everything will be resolved."

Detective Virginia Lopez of the Denver Police Department confirmed that Tskitishvili was stopped near the I-70 and I-25 interchange and was taken to the station because he had a "failure to appear in court" on his record.

When told Tskitishvili blamed police for the theft, Lopez said it is "customary" to leave vehicles in their original place as long as they don't impede traffic.

"He's a good kid," Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said of Tskitishvili. "It's a cultural difference. But having said that, this should be a good lesson for him."

Tskitishvili is the second Nuggets rookie to have an unexcused practice absence this season. Center Nene Hilario did not get back in time from a Christmas trip to Canada, and was fined $2,500.

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