LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Davante Adams, the Raiders wide receiver charged with misdemeanor assault in a shove of a freelance photographer, remains as the pace car driver for Sunday’s NASCAR race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“Nothing has changed on our end,” Jose Guerrero, the speedway’s communications manager, said Thursday. “We’re happy to have him, even with the circumstances that have occurred.”
Guerrero said the speedway has checked with Adams’ representatives and that the NFL standout would be in the honorary pace car for Sunday’s South Point 400. On Sept. 28, the speedway issued a news release touting Adams as the honorary driver for the Toyota Camry pace car.
But Adams was charged with misdemeanor assault after television cameras recorded him shoving a credentialed media member following the Raiders’ 30-29 loss to the host Kansas City Chiefs on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.”
The Kansas City Star reported Wednesday that Adams, signed by the Raiders in the offseason, was charged with one count of misdemeanor assault in Kansas City municipal court.
The Star story, citing court documents, said the charge, a misdemeanor, alleges that Adams “did, by intentional, overt act, inflict injury or cause an unlawful offensive contact upon (the freelancer) by pushing (the freelancer) to the ground using two hands causing whiplash and head ache, possible minor concussion.”
A court date for Adams, 29, was set for Nov. 10, the story said.
Adams apologized after the cameras caught the shove, saying the man “ran and jumped in front of me. We were coming off the field and I bumped into him and kind of pushed him, and he ended up on the ground.
“I would like to say I’m sorry for that.”
ESPN.com reported that police identified the photographer as Ryan Zebley, who was working freelance for the “Monday Night Football” telecast.
According to published reports, Zebley made arrangements to go to a hospital for treatment and from there he called police to file a report.
Coach Josh McDaniels said offered support for his player on Tuesday, calling it “an unfortunate situation.”
The Raiders are idle this week. They return to Allegiant Stadium on Oct. 23 to play the Houston Texans.
