By The Associated Press | Posted: Thursday, November 20, 2008 12:00 am
HOUSTON - The father of Green Bay Packers' wide receiver Donald Driver is in critical condition, at last report, and his family wants the two police officers who allegedly beat him taken off the street.
The family wants the officers they say are responsible for causing Marvin Driver Jr., 56, to suffer a brain hemorrhage taken off the streets until the investigation is complete, the Houston Chronicle reported in its online editions Wednesday. A call early Thursday to Memorial Hermann Hospital- The Texas Medical Center seeking an update on Driver's condition was not immediately returned.
The family issued a statement Wednesday saying Driver was stopped for outstanding traffic warrants early Monday and was to be taken to jail, but was beaten before getting there.
Late Wednesday, Houston Police spokesman Victor Senties declined to address any specific questions regarding the allegations. But in a statement, HPD noted that the internal affairs division is investigating claims "that injuries he sustained following his arrest were the result of an assault on Mr. Driver by two HPD officers."
The two accused officers remain on duty pending further investigation, the department said.
Driver has been using paper towels to write what happened to him, Houston television station KHOU reported on its Web site.
Driver wrote that the officers, whom he said he knew personally, took him to a station, kicked him in the stomach, elbowed him in the neck and forced something down his throat.
"Told him to 'swallow this and you're going to see Jesus,'" community activist Quanell X, the family's spokesman, said at a news conference.
Initially, an officer approached Marvin Driver Jr. in his mother's driveway where the officer said, "'You're Donald Driver's father. I went to school with that (expletive),'" said the activist.
That's when Winston Driver, Marvin Driver's brother and an eyewitness, said he heard the exchange and stepped outside the home.
"He was told to get his (expletive) behind back in the house," said Quanell X.
As his brother was cuffed, Winston Driver said he called 911 and asked for a sergeant to come to the scene. Quanell X said an officer never came.
In Green Bay, Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Donald Driver was excused from practice for a personal situation, but said it would be "inappropriate" to elaborate.
McCarthy said he expects Driver to return in time for the Packers' next game, at New Orleans on Monday night.