Sutton out for season; cited with DUI
<!-- begin text11 div --><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->TULSA, Okla. -- Stillwater police cited Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton with driving under the influence after a Friday traffic accident but did not jail him on a complaint because of a lack of physical evidence, the city's police chief said Monday.
Unrelated to the report, the university announced Monday that Sutton had asked to take a leave of absence for the remainder of the season.
"Coach Sutton has been dealing with constant back and hip problems the last couple of seasons and after last Friday's accident he feels this is the best decision for his health and for the team," said OSU System CEO and president David Schmidly.
"It has been an extremely difficult season," Sutton said. "With my deteriorating physical condition and other issues, I have been under a tremendous amount of stress. I told Dr. Schmidly I was close to making this decision after the trip to Kansas State because the pain in my back was making it very difficult to coach. After Friday's events, I know it is best to go on medical leave the remainder of the season to address my future health. It is very difficult to step away from the team."
The school said no decision has been made regarding Sutton's plans for next season.
Sutton's son, Sean, who will take over as head coach of the team when Sutton retires, will lead the team the rest of the season.
Police are awaiting the results of blood tests that will confirm whether the 69-year-old was driving under the influence at the time of the accident, Stillwater Chief Norman McNickle said. It could take six to eight weeks to receive the test results.
Sutton was not given a field sobriety test at the time of the accident because he needed medical treatment, McNickle said. Before issuing a DUI citation "officers have to have reasonable suspicion to believe the person was under the influence at the time," the chief said, declining to discuss those suspicions because they are part of an ongoing investigation.
Sutton was traveling to the Stillwater airport to fly with his team to College Station, Texas, when the accident occurred Friday. According to a police report, Sutton's sport utility vehicle went left of the centerline on a Stillwater street, corrected and then struck another SUV from behind at a speed of about 60 mph.
Sutton was hospitalized overnight for a head injury and released Saturday. The occupant of the other SUV received minor injuries and was released at the scene, officers said.
The police department has filed complaints against Sutton for speeding and traveling left of center, the chief said.
Witnesses told police that shortly before the accident, Sutton was unsteady on his feet and struck his head after falling in the parking lot of Gallagher-Iba Arena before entering his vehicle, according to a statement released Saturday by Stillwater police.
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<!-- begin text11 div --><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->TULSA, Okla. -- Stillwater police cited Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton with driving under the influence after a Friday traffic accident but did not jail him on a complaint because of a lack of physical evidence, the city's police chief said Monday.
Unrelated to the report, the university announced Monday that Sutton had asked to take a leave of absence for the remainder of the season.
"Coach Sutton has been dealing with constant back and hip problems the last couple of seasons and after last Friday's accident he feels this is the best decision for his health and for the team," said OSU System CEO and president David Schmidly.
"It has been an extremely difficult season," Sutton said. "With my deteriorating physical condition and other issues, I have been under a tremendous amount of stress. I told Dr. Schmidly I was close to making this decision after the trip to Kansas State because the pain in my back was making it very difficult to coach. After Friday's events, I know it is best to go on medical leave the remainder of the season to address my future health. It is very difficult to step away from the team."
The school said no decision has been made regarding Sutton's plans for next season.
Sutton's son, Sean, who will take over as head coach of the team when Sutton retires, will lead the team the rest of the season.
Police are awaiting the results of blood tests that will confirm whether the 69-year-old was driving under the influence at the time of the accident, Stillwater Chief Norman McNickle said. It could take six to eight weeks to receive the test results.
Sutton was not given a field sobriety test at the time of the accident because he needed medical treatment, McNickle said. Before issuing a DUI citation "officers have to have reasonable suspicion to believe the person was under the influence at the time," the chief said, declining to discuss those suspicions because they are part of an ongoing investigation.
Sutton was traveling to the Stillwater airport to fly with his team to College Station, Texas, when the accident occurred Friday. According to a police report, Sutton's sport utility vehicle went left of the centerline on a Stillwater street, corrected and then struck another SUV from behind at a speed of about 60 mph.
Sutton was hospitalized overnight for a head injury and released Saturday. The occupant of the other SUV received minor injuries and was released at the scene, officers said.
The police department has filed complaints against Sutton for speeding and traveling left of center, the chief said.
Witnesses told police that shortly before the accident, Sutton was unsteady on his feet and struck his head after falling in the parking lot of Gallagher-Iba Arena before entering his vehicle, according to a statement released Saturday by Stillwater police.
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