Harding Wedding Leads To Chase, Profanities, Photo Dispute

PORTLAND - Tonya Harding's wedding went off with a hitch: There have been allegations of stolen film, a car chase, shouted profanities and a blown tabloid contract worth $10,000.

The former Olympic skater wed machinist Michael Smith on Saturday aboard a yacht on the Willamette River.

The affair was documented by The Globe tabloid, which had exclusive still-photo rights, a video cameraman from the tabloid TV show "Inside Edition" and Harding's personal photographer, Pat Pollak.

But Harding's plans to direct media coverage went awry when a guest sold The Oregonian a wedding picture for $100.

The picture published yesterday showed Harding and Smith, arm in arm. He was in a black tuxedo. She wore a white dress.

The Oregonian said it bought the picture from a wedding guest who asked to be identified only as Bob, a 26-year-old guest of a sister of a bridesmaid.

Bob said he shot it with his own camera. Pollak said someone swiped three rolls of her film.

"This man stole property from Pat that belonged to me," Harding said. Because the photo was published, "I lost my contract with The Globe."

Bob said he met with The Globe photographer Sunday morning, but the meeting deteriorated when a Globe writer snatched some photos out of his hand.

Harding and her husband also attended the meeting. Bob said Harding started yelling profanities.

Bob said he left in a hurry. He said Smith, Harding's new husband, leaped on to Bob's girlfriend's car. Smith said the car struck him.

Harding gave chase in her car, and Bob said she rammed his vehicle. "She just hit us. Bam!"

"So we pulled over. I said I didn't know about any of this," Bob said of the exclusive photo agreement. "I said I was sorry. I was crying, almost."

"I guess it's greed," Harding said. "They got money for it from people who didn't even know me."