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Raiders’ kicker pleads innocent to DUI charges

Daily Planet Wire Service
Tuesday November 05, 2002

OAKLAND — Oakland Raiders place-kicker Sebastian Janikowski pleaded innocent in Alameda County Superior Court Monday to two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of alcohol. 

Janikowski, 24, who was born in Poland and now resides in Castro Valley, was not in court for Monday's arraignment in misdemeanor court in Oakland. 

A complaint filed Oct. 9 charges the football player with driving under the influence and driving with a blood-alcohol content in excess of 0.08 percent. 

Janikowski's attorney, Cris Arguedas of Emeryville, entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of her client Monday. The lawyer is scheduled to return to court for a pre-trial hearing in the matter on Nov. 19. 

“We entered a plea of not guilty,” Arguedas said outside of court. “Now I'll take a look at the reports and we'll see what we're going to do after we see the evidence.” 

Commissioner Beverly Daniels-Greenberg ordered Monday that while the matter is pending, Janikowski, who remains free on his own recognizance, refrain from driving while there is any “measurable amount” of alcohol in his blood. 

According to a California Highway Patrol report of the arrest, on Oct. 1 at about 11:55 p.m., an officer on patrol in the area of eastbound Interstate Highway 580 near High Street observed a red Mercedes-Benz S-500 allegedly traveling at 86 mph. 

The officer pulled over the vehicle, which bore the license plate “CBASS11,” apparently in reference to Janikowski's nickname, Sea Bass, and his jersey number. 

Janikowski was behind the wheel, and a friend, Mike Qutob, 38, of Castro Valley, was in the passenger seat. Qutob was not charged in the case. 

The officer wrote in a report that Janikowski allegedly had alcohol on his breath, red watery eyes and “slow and slurred speech.” The report also noted that Janikowski was polite.