A police probe revealed that Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Lenny Dykstra had three traffic tickets voided after almost striking a school crossing guard in 1988, a newspaper reported.
Records show that Dykstra, then a member of the New York Mets, told a St. Lucie County deputy that he was late for practice and didn`t think he had to stop for children trying to cross the intersection. Port St. Lucie is the site of the Mets` spring camp.
On the back of one of Dykstra`s voided tickets a sheriff`s investigator wrote, ”Mets player-told to void.”
Officials found that Dykstra, who had also cursed at the crossing guard, wasn`t given preferential treatment but that Deputy Harry Atkinson had unfairly ”loaded up” on the ballplayer, sheriff`s spokesman Mark Weinberg told the Palm Beach Post.
”Sometimes a deputy will place multiple charges against a motorist who has an abusive attitude, but judges have told us not to load up on people because it creates extra paper work and court time,” Weinberg said.
The 28-year-old ballplayer was cited for improper passing, careless driving, failure to obey traffic laws and failure to signal. He ended up paying a $52 fine for improper passing.
Neither Dykstra, who faces drunken driving in a May 6 accident in suburban Philadelphia, nor his agent could be reached for comment.
