Former Phillies Outfielder Lenny Dykstra Claims Uber Driver Kidnapped Him
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NEW YORK (CBS/AP) — Former Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Lenny Dykstra says an Uber driver kidnapped him last month in New Jersey in an incident that led to criminal charges against him.
At a news conference Friday in New York, Dykstra told reporters the driver threatened him after Dykstra asked to change the trip's destination, then locked the car's doors and sped up so Dykstra couldn't exit the car. Dykstra said he called 911.
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"I was literally in fear of my life," he said.
Dykstra's version clashes with that of the driver. Police in Linden, the central New Jersey town where Dykstra lives, said the driver told them Dykstra held a gun to his head. No weapon was found at the scene.
Police charged Dykstra with making terroristic threats and drug offenses. Police found cocaine, MDMA and marijuana among Dykstra's belongings.
Dykstra, 55, played 12 seasons with the Phillies and New York Mets and was a member of the Mets' 1986 championship team. He was named to the National League all-star team three times. He also helped lead the Phillies to the National League pennant in 1993 as he finished second in MVP voting that year.
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Since retiring from baseball, Dykstra has served prison time after pleading guilty to crimes including bankruptcy fraud, grand theft auto and money laundering, and he declared bankruptcy in 2009, claiming he owed more than $31 million and had only $50,000 in assets.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)