Matt Barnes busted and resists arrest

[j804]

NBA forward Matt Barnes was arrested tonight for an outstanding traffic warrant, and for allegedly mouthing off -- BIGTIME -- to the arresting officer, TMZ has learned.

According to law enforcement sources, Barnes was busted by police in Manhattan Beach, CA for a misdemeanor traffic warrant, and we're told he also resisted the arresting officer.

Barnes is currently being booked by Manhattan Beach PD for the traffic violation, and for resisting an executive officer ... a felony.

According to our sources ... Matt was walking in Manhattan Beach around 8:30PM when he was first approached by Manhattan Beach PD -- and when officers ran a check on him they discovered a massive $26,000 unpaid traffic warrant for driving on a suspended license.

We're told Barnes made threats against one of the officers -- which is why he got slapped with the felony for resisting.

Barnes played for the Los Angeles Lakers last year, but is currently a free agent. He's being held on $51,000 bail -- 26 for the unpaid warrant, and 25 for the felony.
 

http://www.tmz.com/2012/07/30/matt-barnes-arrested-los-angeles-lakers-manhattan-beach-police/

[fitzhickey]

Lol

[jimmehx]

Classic Barnes. Probably won't help with garnering a decent contract this year.

[jarufu]

Shoulda been arrested a long time ago for that haircut! Ouch!

[ACF]

[Celtics4ever]

At least he was walking and not driving.

[ItStaysYang]

haha only fitting for my third most disliked player in the league (behind Joakim Noah and LeBrick)

[saltlover]

He was walking on a beach and they ran a check on him to find that he owed $25k?  I don't know much about California, but can you do that?  Or is there something else missing from the story?

[kozlodoev]

He was walking on a beach and they ran a check on him to find that he owed $25k?  I don't know much about California, but can you do that?  Or is there something else missing from the story?

Manhattan Beach is a city in California, not a beach.

[saltlover]

He was walking on a beach and they ran a check on him to find that he owed $25k?  I don't know much about California, but can you do that?  Or is there something else missing from the story?

Manhattan Beach is a city in California, not a beach.

Fine, he was walking on a street at 8:30 pm?  When I thought it was a beach, I was willing to accept an explanation that the beach was closed due to darkness, but now my original query is just intensified.

[KGs Knee]

He was walking on a beach and they ran a check on him to find that he owed $25k?  I don't know much about California, but can you do that?  Or is there something else missing from the story?

Manhattan Beach is a city in California, not a beach.

Fine, he was walking on a street at 8:30 pm?  When I thought it was a beach, I was willing to accept an explanation that the beach was closed due to darkness, but now my original query is just intensified.

Yeah, I am a little curious as to why the police initially approached him.

Did they already know he had a warrant out?  Was he acting in some other suspicious/illegal manner?  Or did the police just say "hey, there's Matt Barnes, let's see if he has any warrants" for no particualar reason.

I guess, at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter.  He had an outstanding warrant, so the police were justified in arresting him.

[Celts Fan 92]

$26,000 in unpaid parkin tickets? tough break u El Debarge lookin brickin wide open 3's, havin ya girlfriend belittle u on TV wanna be gangsta. u gon be D League swag soon bruh 

[Lord of Mikawa]

$26,000 in unpaid parkin tickets? tough break u El Debarge lookin brickin wide open 3's, havin ya girlfriend belittle u on TV wanna be gangsta. u gon be D League swag soon bruh

TP for truth.

[guava_wrench]

He was walking on a beach and they ran a check on him to find that he owed $25k?  I don't know much about California, but can you do that?  Or is there something else missing from the story?

What is the problem? If they recognized the dude and ran the check and then approached him, where is the problem? Why look for a problem where there is none? Be happy they caught up with him.

[saltlover]

He was walking on a beach and they ran a check on him to find that he owed $25k?  I don't know much about California, but can you do that?  Or is there something else missing from the story?

What is the problem? If they recognized the dude and ran the check and then approached him, where is the problem? Why look for a problem where there is none? Be happy they caught up with him.

The problem is it's not even like he was in his car.  He runs a red light, they pull him over and find out he has a warrant, I get it.  He gets kicked out of a bar for being drunk/belligerent, I get it.  He's smoking pot in an alley, fine.  But so far the story is "Matt Barnes was walking down the street and got arrested for something completely unrelated to walking down the street."  Normally you don't get arrested for outstanding warrants on traffic misdemeanors unless you've done something else to call attention to yourself.  Maybe they show up at your house, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

California is a huge state with an overwhelmed legal/penal system, and assuredly tens of thousands of people walking around the streets with similar outstanding warrants for non-violent, victimless crimes.  What caused police to even bother checking on Matt Barnes while he was walking down the street to get him caught?  There's more to the story.