Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes was arrested for threatening a police officer in Manhattan Beach, Calif., on Monday night, the Associated Press reports.

Police say Barnes, 32, was walking when he was recognized by a cop. The officer arrested Barnes on an outstanding warrant for driving on a suspended license. During his arrest, police say Barnes made a verbal threat to the arresting officer.

Matt Barnes was taken to jail and was released after posting $25,000 bail, according to Yahoo! Sports. But that’s not all he paid for.

“Funny how a small situation turns into a [sic] ‘Urban Legend,’” Barnes told fans via Twitter, according to the Los Angeles Times. “A $26,000 traffic ticket?? Come on now.”

Barnes was one of the key pieces to the Lakers bench last year, and he could find himself sidelined for quite a while for his reaction to the arrest.

Because Barnes allegedly threatened a cop, he now faces a felony criminal charge, the Times reports. Generally, someone who is convicted of threatening a police officer could face up to a year in jail and a $10,000 fine. The severity of the penalties that Barnes could face for this charge will depend upon exactly what he said and how he threatened the police officer.

Given that the Lakers forward makes millions of dollars a year, the fines related to Matt Barnes’ arrest are likely not that troublesome. However, the possible jail time could derail his basketball playing, perhaps costing him millions of dollars. He’ll probably want to contact a good criminal defense lawyer to mitigate his penalties.

Related Resources:

  • Matt Barnes arrested on outstanding traffic warrant, allegedly threatened cop (Yahoo!)
  • Former NBA, LSU Player Stromile Swift Pleads Guilty to Stalking (FindLaw’s Tarnished Twenty)
  • Jason Kidd Refused Breathalyzer at Scene of DUI (FindLaw’s Tarnished Twenty)

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