Ndamukong Suh called 911 after crash: 'Everybody's fine' (with audio)

Lions suspended defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was polite, calm and coherent when he called 911 after he was involved in a single-car accident early Saturday morning in his native Portland, Ore.

Suh, 24, was driving his 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS in Portland's nightclub district around 1:15 a.m. when he lost control of his muscle car near Ankeny Street and 4th Avenue and hit a tree, a light pole and a drinking fountain, according to police.

Shortly before police arrived, Suh called 911 and spoke with an operator for 1 minute, 15 seconds. Suh declined medical attention for himself and two unnamed passengers when the operated asked whether he needed an ambulance.

"No, I don't think so," Suh said. "I think everybody's fine."

There were at least two other 911 calls from bystanders.

Operator: "We have reports it's a car into a tree. Is that you?"

Suh: "Yes."

Operator: "OK, are you sure you don't need an ambulance?"

Suh: "Yes, everybody's fine."

Suh told the operator he was the driver and at one point tries to flag down a nearby police officer while still on the phone with the operator by shouting: "Officer! Officer! Officer!"

Operator: "He's looking for you. I'll let him know you're at 4th and Ankeny. What's your name?"

After providing his name and other details, Suh ends the call by thanking the operator.

Sgt. Peter Simpson of the Portland Police Bureau described Suh as "polite" and "cooperative." Simpson said the responding officer saw no signs of Suh's impairment and did not perform a field sobriety test.

"In Oregon, field-sobriety tests are not performed unless you're already under arrest," Simpson said. "So unless you have probable cause to believe they're intoxicated, you don't do them to people."

Suh served the first of his two-game suspension Sunday for stomping on Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith in a Thanksgiving loss. He will miss this Sunday's game at Ford Field against the Vikings and return to the Lions on Monday.

Contact Carlos Monarrez: 313-222-6697 or cmonarrez@freepress.com.