Sheriff’s report: Kings’ Artest slapped victim

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest slapped a woman’s face and grabbed her repeatedly, causing visible injuries, according to a sheriff’s report made public Tuesday.\nArtest was arrested Monday after a woman inside his home in a Sacramento suburb called 911 and said she had been assaulted.\n“Victim sustained visible trauma after being repeatedly grabbed by Artest and pushed to the floor,” said the Placer County Sheriff’s Department report. “Artest then slapped victim’s face (and) by use of force prevented victim from leaving.”\nThe report also said Artest took a phone from the woman the first time she tried to call 911.\nArtest was arrested Monday on suspicion of domestic violence and using force or violence to prevent his victim from reporting a crime. He was released from custody after posting a $50,000 bond and is awaiting a March 22 arraignment.\nThe remainder of the report is being kept confidential while the Placer County District Attorney’s office considers charges, sheriff’s department spokeswoman Dena Erwin said. She could not elaborate on the nature of the woman’s trauma or her relationship to Artest.\nAuthorities also said a 3-year-old girl was inside the house at the time of the argument.\nPlacer County Deputy District Attorney Dan Quick said his office had yet to receive the report, but that prosecutors would review other evidence such as the 911 tape and photographs taken at the scene.\n“In cases like this, we don’t do anything special as far as our treatment of them,” Quick said. “We want to see what evidence was gathered before we make a charging decision.”\nErwin said the sheriff’s department planned to post the 911 tape on its Web site Tuesday afternoon.\nArtest’s agent, Mark Stevens, said he planned to release a statement later Tuesday.\n“We’re trying to get the facts straight,” he said.\nKings coach Eric Musselman told reporters Tuesday that he spoke to Artest by telephone Monday night but would not describe their conversation. The Kings indefinitely removed Artest, the central figure in the 2004 brawl between Indiana Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans, from the team while they seek more information about the arrest. He continues to receive his salary.\n“We’re just kind of wait and see,” team spokesman Troy Hanson said. “I think there’s a lot of things we still need to look at.”