Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers' Wide Receiver, Stopped at Gunpoint by LAPD in North Hollywood

Hines Ward fouled by LAPD?

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver [added]: and Dancing With the Stars contestant Hines Ward was ordered out of a vehicle at gunpoint this morning by police. Welcome to L.A.

So what was the problem, officers? Driving while black (or, at least, half-Korean) on this brownest of American holidays? No, turns out the police were, as they say, just doing their jobs.

Ward was in a car that had been reported stolen (it wasn't). It happened ...

... about 2 a.m. in North Hollywood, the LAPD tells us.

The woman driving had reported her car stolen April 19 after a valet at a restaurant couldn't locate it following a dining session. Except ...

... they soon found it. And, the LAPD tells the Weekly, the woman failed to notify cops the car was safe at home.

And thus, a superstar footballer was forced to exit and vehicle and, likely, face the dirt.

When the woman told officers that she was the one who reported the car stolen and it was now all good, the parties were released, police said.

At least the incident demonstrates why the LAPD has such protocols: He's 6 feet, 205 pounds of muscle, and if he was a bad guy, you'd want him to play nice too.

Update: In a statement, reps for Ward, via ABC, home of Dancing With The Stars, indicated the champ didn't take the LAPD stop personally:

It was a misunderstanding. The police were just doing their job. Apologies were made and Hines was very cooperative and understanding. He is fine and it's over.

Nice. America loves a not-sore-at-all winner, Hines.

First posted at 12:37 p.m. on Thursday, May 5.

-With reporting from City News Service. Got news? Email us. Follow us on Twitter, too: @dennisjromero.

[Spotted at TMZ].