King's Assistant Coach Accused of California DUI

 Posted on December 10, 2010 in DUI

An assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings was arrested early Thursday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence. The incident occurred around 1:15 in the morning. A California Highway Patrol officer says he noticed a broken taillight on a 1993 Mercedes-Benz. The officer made a traffic stop, which led to the California DUI arrest.

The assistant coach was booked into the Sacramento County Jail and released later Thursday Morning. He has since reportedly made a public statement about the arrest. He says that he had a couple of drinks before the arrest. In his statement he says his "blood alcohol level was slightly over the legal limit." California law places the legal limit at .08 BAC.

The coach said in his statement that he is "very sorry, embarrassed and disappointed for the position in which I put myself and team." The assistant coach is one in a string of people affiliated with the King's to be pulled over on suspicion of DUI over the past few years.

One of the team owners and a head coach were accused of DUI. The assistant coach who was arrested for DUI is the fifth person affiliated with the team to be accused of driving under the influence since 2006.

Sacramento Police Sgt. Norm Leong says "people of all walks of life and social status get DUIs." The assistant coach was one of 62 people arrested in Sacramento County in the 24 hour period that ended at 9 a.m. Thursday, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.

Source: Sacramento Bee, "Elie arrest adds to Kings' long history of road woes," Sam Stanton and Bill Lindelof, 10 Dec 2010