An enraged Hummer driver chased down former Saints defensive end Will Smith’s Mercedes, deliberately rammed Smith’s SUV from behind, angrily confronted him in the street, and then shot him eight times in the back, yelling over his dying body as his wounded wife, who was shot twice in the leg, tried to crawl away, the Smith family’s lawyer said Wednesday. Racquel Smith wanted everyone to know her husband died trying to protect her, attorney Peter Thomson said. But Smith never pulled out his own handgun, which remained loaded but unused in a compartment inside his Mercedes, Thomson added. Four days after the fatal shooting, Thomson laid out a version of what happened, which was based on the recollections of Racquel Smith and other witnesses, seeking to dispel what Thomson called ‘‘lies and factual distortion’’ spread by Cardell Hayes, the man police identified as Smith’s killer. Hayes was jailed on a $1 million bond after his arrest on a murder charge. Hayes’s lawyer said his client felt threatened and was not the aggressor. “I can tell you the killer showed no remorse whatsoever, and actually stood over Will Smith’s dead body as his wife crawled away,’’ Thomson said.
Report: Gordon came to Manziel’s aid
According to a TMZ report, Johnny Manziel was involved in a hit-and-run incident Saturday night on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood and was subsequently picked up by his former Browns teammate, suspended wide receiver Josh Gordon, with whom Manziel is staying in West Hollywood. A Los Angeles Police spokesperson confirmed to USA Today the free agent quarterback was a passenger in a car driven by his friend Ryan Silverstein that struck a lightpole on Sunset Boulevard. There were no reported injuries or other vehicles involved. ESPN reported that Drew Rosenhaus, Manziel’s agent, gave his client an ultimatum to seek counseling in five days or risk losing his representation . . . The Cincinnati Bengals exercised a one-year option for tight end Tyler Eifert, keeping one of Andy Dalton’s favorite goal line options (13 touchdowns, second most in the NFL and a record for a Bengals tight end) signed through the 2017 season . . . The Washington Redskins signed cornerback Greg Toler to a one-year deal. Toler started 10 games for the Colts last season, making 51 tackles . . . The Dallas Cowboys re-signed safety Jeff Heath . . . The NFL announced it will release the league’s 2016 schedule Thursday.
Baseball
Braves OF Olivera arrested for assault
Atlanta Braves outfielder Hector Olivera, a 31-year-old Cuban defector, was arrested and charged with assaulting a woman he was acquainted with at a hotel outside Washington early Wednesday and placed on paid administrative leave by Major League Baseball. The Braves said in a statement the team is ‘‘extremely disappointed and troubled’’ by Olivera’s actions after Arlington (Va.) Police were called to a hotel in Pentagon City where a woman with visible bruises reported Olivera had assaulted her . . . Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman, serving a season-opening, 30-game suspension stemming from baseball’s new domestic violence policy, worked a perfect inning in his first extended spring training game in Tampa . . . Cardinals lefthander Marco Gonzales, 22, who was limited to one start last season because of shoulder problems, will have season-ending Tommy John surgery Friday.
CollegesBaylor DE Oakman charged with rape
NFL prospect and former Baylor football player Shawn Oakman was arrested on a charge he sexually assaulted a woman at his Texas apartment earlier this month, Waco police said. The arrest of the record-setting defensive end is the latest troubling incident for the Baylor football program. Two former players were convicted of sexual assault in 2014 and 2015, and the school faces a federal lawsuit from one of the victims claiming the school didn’t protect her. A woman told police that Oakman, 24, attacked her April 3 after they met at a Waco nightclub. According to a police affidavit, Oakman told investigating officers they had consensual sex.
Southern Cal names Swann AD
Southern Cal hired Lynn Swann to succeed Pat Haden as the school’s athletic director, a surprise move that brings back a former Trojans star receiver who went on to a Hall of Fame NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. With no administrative experience in the college or pro ranks, Swann, 64, was picked from 200 candidates . . . Utah sophomore center Jakob Poeltl announced his decison to leave school early to enter the NBA draft but has not yet hired an agent . . . Mfiondu Kabengele, the 6-foot-9-inch nephew of former NBA standout Dikembe Mutombo, signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Florida State. Kabengele, who averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds last season at Don Bosco Prep in Crown Point, Ind., also had offers from Wisconsin, Georgetown, Kansas State, Georgia, and Boston College.
The World Anti-Doping Agency said some athletes who tested positive for meldonium may be able to avoid sanctions because of a lack of certainty over how long the drug takes to clear the system. WADA says provisional suspensions can be lifted if it is determined an athlete took meldonium before it was placed on the list of banned substances on Jan. 1.
Miscellany
Wild sign BC’s Tuch to 3-year dealThe Minnesota Wild signed Boston College sophomore forward Alex Tuch, 19, to a three-year, entry-level contract starting with the 2016-17 season . . . Antoine Griezmann scored a goal in each half to give Atletico Madrid a 2-0 win over defending champion Barcelona and a spot in the semifinals of the Champions League for the second time in three seasons.
