Mike Frier Sues Town, Ex-Teammate

Mike Frier, the Seattle Seahawks tackle left paralyzed in a car accident more than a year ago, intends to sue former teammate Lamar Smith and the suburb where the team is headquartered.

Frier’s lawyers said they would file the claim and lawsuit today, and would give further details then. They did not say how much money Frier was seeking.

Frier was riding in a car driven by Smith that struck a utility pole Dec. 1, 1994, on a rain-slickened road in Kirkland.

Frier, 26, a defensive tackle, initially was left paralyzed with a broken neck. He now has control of the muscles in his upper body.

Smith, 25, a running back, has pleaded innocent to vehicular assault. His trial is to begin Monday in King County Superior Court.

Prosecutors allege Smith had consumed at least five beers and 6-1/2 ounces of scotch in the three hours before the accident.

Another Seahawk in the car, running back Chris Warren, escaped with minor injuries.

Frier’s attorneys said Smith had tried to avoid a median island, which had no reflective signs and was poorly lit.

Broussard signs

Steve Broussard has reached agreement with the Seahawks on a two-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.

Broussard averaged a team record 24.7 yards on 43 kickoff returns to rank sixth in the American Football Conference.

His 43 returns and 1,064 return yards ranked him second for a single season in the team record book.

The former Washington State University running back was Seattle’s second-leading rusher with 222 yards on 46 carries, with one touchdown, and had 10 receptions for 94 yards.

The 5-7, 201-pound Broussard will be entering his seventh NFL season. He was a first-round draft choice of Atlanta in 1990.