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2 Hockey Pros, 1 Former NBA Player Arrested At Tampa Bar

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 11, 2008

  Ryan O'Byrne

TAMPA - Two professional hockey players and a former professional basketball player from Lakeland were arrested outside a South Tampa nightclub early this morning, police say.

The hockey players, who identified themselves as members of the Montreal Canadiens, were arrested about 3 a.m. outside Whiskey Park, 720 S. Howard Ave. Police say Ryan O'Byrne stole a woman's purse and teammate Thomas Kostopoulos resisted an officer.

The former pro basketball player arrested at the nightclub, 29-year-old Alvin Jones, was a star at Lakeland's Kathleen High School.

As a senior center, he led Kathleen to the Class 4A state championship. In 2001, Jones was a second-round selection by the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association. He had been playing professionally in Europe until last season.

  Thomas Kostopoulos

O'Byrne, a 23-year-old rookie defenseman for the Canadiens, has played in 11 games this season, according to the team's Web site. Kostopoulos, 29, plays right wing

This morning's incident involving the hockey players started when a woman inside Whiskey Park set her purse on a countertop, a Tampa police report states. She noticed it missing and alerted security officers, who saw O'Byrne outside holding the purse in one hand and the woman's cell phone in another.

O'Byrne told police it was his girlfriend's purse. When an officer "asked what her name was, he could not give a name," the report states.

Police determined the purse belonged to the woman at the bar, who told police she didn't know O'Byrne, according to the report. O'Byrne was detained and placed in the back seat of a police car.

"Several associates, who were identified as National Hockey League players/members, crowded around the officers and police car," the report states. "They were told numerous times to get away from the police car and not to interfere."

  Alvin Jones

O'Byrne was charged with grand theft, and Kostopoulos was charged with resisting an officer without violence. The men had NHL identification cards in their possession, police say.

The purse - missing $20 - and the cell phone were returned to the woman, according to the report.

O'Byrne's bail was set at $2,000, and Kostopoulos' was set at $500. Both have been released.

The Canadiens will not comment on the arrests until after its 4 p.m. practice today in Tampa, said Donald Beauchamp, a team spokesman. He said it's impossible for him to tell at this point whether O'Byrne and Kostopoulos will practice today.

The Montreal Gazette reported today that O'Byrne earns $590,000 at the NHL level. Kostopoulos earns $900,000 annually.

The Canadiens are scheduled to play the Tampa Bay Lightning in Tampa on Tuesday night.

In a separate incident, the 6-foot-11 Jones was arrested at the club at 2:36 a.m., a police report states.

Jones, 29, punched a person at the club, causing a minor injury, police say. While being arrested, Jones fell on the hood of a 2000 BMW being pulled up by a valet, causing about $2,000 damage.

While in custody, Jones kicked a window out of police car, a police report states. An officer used a Taser on Jones' leg, and Jones later was restrained.

Jones was charged today with battery, disorderly conduct or obstructing or opposing an officer without violence.

His bail was set at $1,250. He has since been released.

Jones, who played in college at Georgia Tech, played 23 games with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001-02, averaging 1.1 points per game.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

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