In brief: Crash crunches Culpepper’s convertible

Miami Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper slightly bruised his nonthrowing hand in a two-car accident.

Culpepper said the vintage Chevrolet car he was driving was rear-ended by another motorist late Wednesday night on a South Florida highway. He said the top of his left hand was bruised and he got X-rays as a precaution.

“The real problem is that the guy damaged my 1975 convertible Caprice Classic,” Culpepper said.

“Former NFL defensive lineman Sean Jones pleaded not guilty in Houston to bank fraud charges alleging he and four others ran a scheme to pocket portions of more than $42 million in mortgage loans.

“Jacksonville released safety Donovin Darius, a move that signaled the team’s desire to go with younger and faster defenders.

“At Missoula, former Montana State player Richard Gatewood and his brother, Randy, pleaded not guilty to drug charges.

Drugs

Judge rejects plea deal

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White in San Francisco took the unusual step of rejecting a plea deal for an attorney who admitted leaking the grand jury testimony of elite athletes to two newspaper reporters.

Troy Ellerman’s lawyer and federal prosecutors had agreed on a range of punishments, from 15 to 24 months, after Ellerman pleaded guilty to allowing two San Francisco Chronicle reporters to view transcripts of grand jury testimony from Barry Bonds and other athletes embroiled in the government’s steroids investigation.

Hockey

Crosby captures Hart

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins skated away with the Hart Trophy, becoming the NHL’s youngest MVP since Wayne Gretzky.

The 19-year-old got 91 first-place votes and 1,225 points in a poll of Professional Hockey Writers’ Association members.

Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo was second with 801 points. New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur was third with 763 points, but took home the Vezina Trophy for top goalie.

Vincent Lecavalier’s 52 regular-season goals entitled him to collect the Maurice Richard Trophy.

“Mike Keenan is the new coach of the Calgary Flames – his eighth head coaching job in the league. Keenan agreed to a three-year deal and replaces Jim Playfair.

“Columbus, the only NHL team never in the playoffs, hired Scott Howson as its general manager.

Basketball

Howard joins Garnett

In the first of what could be several moves to shake up their roster, the Minnesota Timberwolves shipped disgruntled point guard Mike James and swingman Justin Reed to the Houston Rockets for Juwan Howard, and the veteran can’t wait to help Kevin Garnett.

Howard grew up in Chicago, where Garnett played his final year of high school. The two worked out together in the off-season and became friends.