CHELSEA — NBA player Matt Barnes turned himself in to police Wednesday after being accused of attacking a pair of clubgoers during a brawl inside a Chelsea nightclub, the NYPD said.
The Sacramento Kings star was charged with misdemeanor assault in connection with the alleged incident and received a desk appearance ticket at the 10th Precinct around 12:15 p.m., police said.
After receiving the ticket, Barnes “refused to answer any questions before he jumped into a black SUV and was driven off,” the New York Post reported.
A lawsuit filed in December claims the player choked a 26-year-old woman at Avenue nightclub on 10th Avenue on Dec. 5 after a commotion broke out in the VIP section.
The suit also claims Barnes and teammate DeMarcus Cousins attacked a man who tried to stop Barnes from choking the woman.
Barnes’ attorney maintained his client’s innocence on Wednesday.
“We deny the allegations and will answer them in court,” lawyer Alex Spiro wrote in an email.
Cousins, meanwhile, “was not involved in the fight and is not facing charges,” the Daily News reported.
Barnes is expected to appear in court on March 3, police said.
