National Basketball Association

Mavericks' Thomas a figure in eatery fight

Published Dec. 16, 2009 5:05 p.m. ET

foxsports

Dallas Mavericks forward Tim Thomas was at a Dallas restaurant when a fight broke out early Wednesday during a dispute between him and another patron.

Damien Pettie, 29, told police he approached Thomas and a group of people at a Denny's at about 3 a.m. and said, ``Hey, what's up?'' to the 6-foot-10 player.

Thomas responded by cursing at Pettie and using racial and gay slurs, according to the police report. Pettie cursed back, at which point he said he was struck twice in the face by someone in Thomas' group.

``Then all parties within both groups began to throw chairs, knock over tables and fight each other,'' the report said. The fight broke up when the store manager announced he had called police. Thomas and his group left before officers arrived.

No one was arrested, and it was unclear whether police planned to pursue the case.

In an e-mail, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said the 32-year-old Thomas was there but not involved in the incident.

Pettie sustained cuts on his lower lip and a finger, according to the police report. A working telephone number for him could not be located Wednesday.

One witness, Colleen Kissick, told The Associated Press she didn't hear Thomas say anything before the fight. Another witness, reporter Roger Emrich of KRLD radio, said on the air that he heard Thomas say only, ``Just keep going'' to Pettie.

Kissick said her mother was hit by one of the chairs or tables as they dined. Kissick said she never saw Thomas involved in any fighting, but added that she didn't think Pettie did anything to instigate the fight.

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Associated Press writer Linda Stewart Ball contributed to this report.