MIAMI — Talk about your bizarre days at training camp. Alfred Oglesby disappeared, Richmond Webb’s car turned up abandoned in Liberty City and detectives turned defense coach Tom Olivadotti’s office into a scene out of Dragnet.
Oglesby returned safely to the team’s St. Thomas University training site at 6 p.m., telling stories of being abducted at gunpoint and walking miles through the night.
Two hours later, after police questioned him, the truth came out.
Oglesby said he borrowed Webb’s car Wednesday night, went to a strip bar to meet some teammates, and later went to a friend’s apartment, where he had some drinks and fell asleep. When he awoke at 9 a.m. Thursday, the friend and Webb’s car were gone.
Why Oglesby waited eight hours before contacting the team remains unclear, but his not-so-excellent adventure is likely to prompt a stiff fine and some serious fallout.
It could mean the end of coach Don Shula’s day camp policy, where veterans have been allowed to live at home throughout the training period. Shula instituted the system last year and said it could be scrapped if it led to problems or if anyone violated team policy.
Oglesby violated an 11 p.m. curfew Wednesday, when he failed to return to Webb’s Miami Lakes townhouse, where he is staying until he gets an apartment.
Oglesby, 25, a third-year nose tackle, also could be subject to random drug testing. The team took mandatory drug tests Tuesday morning; Oglesby said he did not use drugs Wednesday.
“No drugs,” Oglesby said. “Just a couple of beers and a few drinks.”
Thursday began with Oglesby missing from the team’s 9:30 a.m. practice and tension mounted as details unfolded. A concerned Webb told team officials that Oglesby never returned home with his green 1990 BMW 535; police were notified.
Four detectives and several uniformed officers converged on the team’s headquarters in the afternoon, setting up shop in Olivadotti’s office. They revealed that Webb’s car had been found, abandoned and undamaged, at 11 a.m. on NW 55th Street and NW 24th Avenue in Liberty City. The car was locked and its hazard lights were flashing. They termed it “suspicious” and said no one knew Oglesby’s whereabouts.
Teammates were concerned.
“He’s a very prompt person,” tight end Ferrell Edmunds said. “He’s always been responsible.”
“This is starting to get scary,” nose tackle Shawn Lee said. “I’ve never known him to be late for a practice or a game or anything. I’ve never known him to be in any kind of trouble.”
Oglesby ended the suspense at 5:30 p.m., when he phoned Shula and said he was safe. Oglesby called from the Le Club apartment complex at NW 183rd Street and NW 57th Avenue in Miami Lakes and the team sent media relations assistant Scott Stone to pick him up.
Oglesby returned to St. Thomas at 6 p.m. He told Shula and reporters separately that he was abducted by two men at gunpoint in a bar parking lot, forced to drive 9 miles and then was freed. He said he arrived at Le Club by walking and hitchhiking.
The day ended with a regretful Oglesby admitting he had lied to Shula, his family and reporters because he “panicked.”
“I’m sorry about the first story,” Oglesby said as dusk settled over the St. Thomas University parking lot. “I was a little afraid about dealing with coach Shula and I was caught in a bad situation. I just really panicked. I was real immature and I was afraid. I didn’t want to lose my job on the team. But it’s over. I’m very embarrassed.”
After being questioned by police for about 90 minutes in the team’s locker room, Oglesby called Shula to say the earlier story was false.
“He was upset,” Oglesby said.
“The case is resolved,” said Det. Don Blocker of Metro-Dade Police. “He’s safe and he’s got some explaining to do to the Miami Dolphins. I doubt that charges will be filed against anybody involved.”
Said team security investigator Stu Weinstein: “To be perfectly honest with you, I’m glad the guy’s all right. At 3 this afternoon, I thought the worst, but when I was told the guy was OK and alive, anything else was a relief, believe me.”
Oglesby said he borrowed Webb’s car and went to the Bootlegger, a nude bar located at NW 167th Street and NW 37th Avenue in Miami, at around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. Several players were there, but they left before the team’s curfew.
Oglesby remained with the unidentified friend and they returned to the friend’s apartment. He declined to give the location.
“I went over to his apartment, sat down and had a couple of drinks,” Oglesby said. “I figured I’d have a couple more and go home, and then I fell asleep.”
“When I woke up this morning, my friend was gone and the car was gone. So I sat there awhile and tried to figure out what I was going to do. And then I came up with that first story and that wasn’t what happened.”
That appeared obvious to anybody who listened. Oglesby’s initial explanation seemed porous, the time lapse elongated and he didn’t help matters when he prefaced the remarks by saying, “I’m not answering any questions.”
“A scary story,” Shula said after hearing Oglesby’s first version. “The bottom line is that he’s OK.”
As Oglesby faced police questioning, one player walked through the parking lot and joked, “That’s his story and he’s sticking to it.”
The police and Oglesby said no charges would be filed against Oglesby’s friend who took Webb’s car. The car was towed by the police from the spot it was abandoned; it was not known if Webb retrieved it Thursday night.
Weinstein said the team will launch its own investigation into the incident and Oglesby’s friend.
When Shula announced at a team meeting at 5:45 p.m. that Oglesby had been found and was safe, a big cheer went up. The reaction may be far different if Shula announces that all veterans must spend the rest of camp in St. Thomas’ cramped dormitory rooms.
A FISH TALE
–9:30 a.m. — Dolphins morning practice begins with nose tackle Alfred Oglesby missing. Richmond Webb, who lent his car to Oglesby Wednesday night and became worried when Oglesby did not return, tells Stu Weinstein, team security investigator. Weinstein alerts police.
–11 a.m. — Police find Webb’s 1990 BMW 535 abandoned in Liberty City, at NW 55th Street and NW 24th Avenue. The doors are locked and hazard lights are flashing.
–12:20 p.m. — Coach Don Shula tells reporters that Oglesby was missing and Weinstein was looking into it.
–1 p.m. — Detectives arrive at Dolphins Camp to interview players. They tell reporters about the discovery of Webb’s car and say they are concerned about Oglesby.
–5:35 p.m. — Oglesby phones Shula and says he is OK. Team sends media relations assistant Scott Stone to pick up Oglesby from Le Club apartment complex at NW 183rd Street and NW 57th Avenue in Miami Lakes.
–6 p.m. — Oglesby returns to camp and tells Shula and reporters that he was abducted at gunpoint by two men in the parking lot of a nude bar at 10:30 Wednesday night. He said they drove 9 miles and then he was released.
–6-8 p.m. — Oglesby interrogated by police at Dolphins camp.
–8 p.m. — Oglesby recants earlier story. Says he went with friend to topless bar Wednesday night and returned to friend’s apartment, had too much to drink and passed out. When he awoke at 9 a.m., the friend and Webb’s car were gone.
A FISH TALE
–9:30 a.m. — Dolphins morning practice begins with nose tackle Alfred Oglesby missing. Richmond Webb, who lent his car to Oglesby Wednesday night and became worried when Oglesby did not return, tells Stu Weinstein, team security investigator. Weinstein alerts police.
–11 a.m. — Police find Webb’s 1990 BMW 535 abandoned in Liberty City, at NW 55th Street and NW 24th Avenue. The doors are locked and hazard lights are flashing.
–12:20 p.m. — Coach Don Shula tells reporters that Oglesby was missing and Weinstein was looking into it.
–1 p.m. — Detectives arrive at Dolphins Camp to interview players. They tell reporters about the discovery of Webb’s car and say they are concerned about Oglesby.
–5:35 p.m. — Oglesby phones Shula and says he is OK. Team sends media relations assistant Scott Stone to pick up Oglesby from Le Club apartment complex at NW 183rd Street and NW 57th Avenue in Miami Lakes.
–6 p.m. — Oglesby returns to camp and tells Shula and reporters that he was abducted at gunpoint by two men in the parking lot of a nude bar at 10:30 Wednesday night. He said they drove 9 miles and then he was released.
–6-8 p.m. — Oglesby interrogated by police at Dolphins camp.
–8 p.m. — Oglesby recants earlier story. Says he went with friend to topless bar Wednesday night and returned to friend’s apartment, had too much to drink and passed out. When he awoke at 9 a.m., the friend and Webb’s car were gone.
