As a precocious 14-year-old, Jennifer Capriati found ways to give the veterans of tennis all kinds of trouble. Now, at 18, Capriati is the one finding trouble.
Capriati in 1990 became the youngest player to win a match at Wimbledon, and at the French Open became the youngest Grand Slam semifinalist.Now she has a police record.
Capriati was arrested Monday on misdemeanor marijuana possession after police searched her $50-a-night Coral Gables motel room looking for a runaway.
Capriati could not be reached for comment on Monday's arrest.
Police came to the Gables Inn early Monday after receiving an anonymous tip that a 17-year-old runaway girl was at Capriati's hotel room, said Coral Gables Sgt. Mitch Fry.
Capriati allowed detectives to search room 109 and went to the police station "with no problems at all" after police found marijuana in her knapsack, Fry said.
While police were conducting the search, the runaway and 19-year-old Tom Wineland of Biscayne Bay drove up in a green convertible Mazda Miata, Fry said. The runaway is not being identified because of her age.
"They pulled up driving Jennifer's car," he said. When the two approached the room, Wineland "stuffed what appeared to be crack into his pants," Fry said.
The runaway was charged with possession of two packets of heroin and was released to her parents.
Wineland was charged with possession of suspected crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia and was taken to Dade County Jail, where he was being held early today on $6,000 bond, authorities said.
Capriati was released to Ross and will be arraigned within three months, said Mort Lucoff, a spokesman for Dade County courts.