Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Dolphins' DE Underwood found bleeding on street

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Monday, September 27, 1999

Dolphins' DE Underwood found bleeding on street

Associated Press

LANSING, Mich. - Miami Dolphins defensive end Dimitrius Underwood was found on a city street Sunday, bleeding from a neck wound that police described as a life-threatening injury.
   "He was cut. We're still investigating the nature of the injury," said Sgt. Linda Doherty-Wright, a Lansing police spokeswoman.
   Underwood disappeared from the Minnesota Vikings training camp after one day this summer. When he was found he talked of giving up football for the ministry but signed with the Dolphins after being released by Minnesota.
   Doherty-Wright said police discovered Underwood lying on a street about two blocks south of the state capitol in downtown Lansing about 12:45 p.m. The site was near a park and a library and about a block from the business district.
   He was taken to Sparrow Hospital for surgery. WLNS-TV reported he was in stable condition, but a hospital spokeswoman declined comment.
   Lansing police said Underwood had been arrested Saturday night and released on bond, but said it had no information on what the charge was because he had not been arraigned. A message was left at the home of Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III. WLNS-TV and WSYM-TV reported that Underwood had been arrested on a charge of failing to pay child support.
   Underwood has 17-month-old twins who live with their mother in Lansing.
   Underwood was arrested about 7 p.m. Saturday and taken to the Ingham County Jail in Mason. About 10 p.m., an unidentified woman posted his $500 bond. But he declined to leave immediately, the Detroit Free Press reported.
   "He stayed up in the jail about an hour after the bond was posted, and we had to kick him out," Ingham County Sheriff Gene Wrigglesworth said.
   Deputy Kay Van Ellis told the newspaper that the woman who bailed him out waited 45 minutes, then went home and returned about 11:45 p.m. and left with Underwood. She said that Underwood had been deep in conversation with another prisoner.
   The Free Press reported that Underwood was shirtless when he was found.
   "We know Dimitrius has been admitted to Sparrow Hospital, and we will be getting additional information about him tomorrow," Dolphins vice president of media relations Harvey Greene said. "Our hopes foremost are about his health, but until we have additional information, it would be premature for the club to comment on his situation."
   The Dolphins were not scheduled to play this weekend and Greene said all the players had the weekend off.
   Underwood was taken with the 29th overall pick in the draft by Minnesota out of Michigan State, but he disappeared from the Vikings' training camp after one practice. He considered a career in the ministry after leaving the Vikings, and they released him Aug. 11.
   He was claimed on waivers by Miami after 23 other teams passed on him.
   Underwood sacrificed a $1.75 million signing bonus by leaving the Vikings, and he's getting a base salary of $395,000 in the first season of a five-year contract with Miami.
   Underwood dislocated his left shoulder during an exhibition game and missed several weeks of practice. He was expected to begin working out again this week.
   Michigan State coach Nick Saban said he was deeply concerned.
   "Our thoughts and our prayers are with Dimitrius and we hope for a full recovery," he said.

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