The strange case of Dwayne Tyus took even stranger turns Tuesday.
The recently hired Arkansas-Little Rock assistant basketball coach, who had been reported missing, was found by police, charged with theft, arraigned and fired from his new job.
Tyus, a 30-year-old native Chicagoan and former De Paul assistant, was released on his own recognizance. He was ordered to appear Sept. 16 in Criminal Court in Little Rock.
Tyus was reported missing Sunday, five days after he cashed a $2,400 check that was to cover travel expenses to be incurred while recruiting on his new job.
Tipped by an anonymous caller, police said they found Tyus in a Little Rock home Monday night. Police said he was unable to account for the travel money.
”He was advised of his rights,” said Officer Vicky Williams. ”He declined to answer questions. He was charged on one count of theft.”
Tyus was hired fewer than 10 days ago by Little Rock coach Jim Platt, also a former De Paul assistant and the Illinois State assistant who recruited Tyus from Farragut High School to ISU in 1979.
”Obviously, I`m saddened and disappointed at Dwayne`s actions,” Platt said in a terse statement issued by the school. ”He has not lived up to my expectations or those of the university.”
”I`m shocked,” said Arkansas-Little Rock official Jerry Crittenden.
”I`m a good judge of people, and I thought Tyus was an excellent person. His credentials were impeccable.”
Tyus lettered four times at Illinois State. He twice captained the Redbirds and was graduated in 1983. He served as graduate assistant at ISU in 1984-86, as De Paul assistant in 1986-89 and worked for a Chicago advertising agency after he left De Paul. He was a volunteer worker for Chicago-based Athletes Against Drugs (AAD).
Tyus was living in Platt`s home in Little Rock when he disappeared last Tuesday. His clothes and belongings are still there.
