Track all-Americans released from jail
By Don Williams on January 8th, 2010 16
Three Texas Tech athletes arrested on robbery and organized crime charges this week were released on bail Friday from the Lubbock County Jail.
Bond for Gil Roberts, 20, and Lamont Adams, 20, was set at $10,000, jail records show. Tim Foster, 21, was released in lieu of a $20,000 bond. He also was charged with evading arrest with a vehicle for driving the getaway car.
The three men, all of whom have won all-American honors competing for the Tech track team, are accused of trying to steal several clothing items Wednesday evening from Academy Sports on 19th Street.
Roberts
The police report shows officers recovered stolen property, including two pair of black socks, valued at $8.99, three pair of gray compression shorts, sold for $19.99, and a pair of $40 shoes.
Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said Friday he was aware of the incident and “disappointed’’ in the athletes’ alleged involvement. On Thursday, Tech track coach Wes Kittley said an internal investigation would be conducted before it’s determined what team disciplinary action, if any, is warranted.
“If we have some type of investigation, more than likely it would be done by our faculty rep, independent of anybody in the athletic department,’’ Myers said.
Roberts placed second in the 400 meters at the U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships last June, earning a spot on the U.S. team at the IAAF World Championships in August in Berlin. He also was second in the 400 in last year’s NCAA indoor meet.
Foster and Adams have been all-Americans on the Red Raiders’ 1,600-meter relay team.
For the upcoming season, Foster is classfied as a senior, Roberts and Adams as juniors.
An off-duty officer arrested Roberts, Adams and Foster after he saw them run from store security and get into a car that pulled into traffic, where a vehicle hit it, according to the police report. The officer had activated his emergency lights and siren in an attempt to stop the vehicle.
Organized crime is a first-degree felony, which carries a prison term of 5 to 99 years. Robbery is a second-degree felony, which carries 2 to 10 years.