Coach receives a pass
With a health waiver, Musselman avoids DUI work, stays at home.
By Ryan Lillis - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Saturday, March 3, 2007
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1
Turns out Eric Musselman didn't have to spend two days picking up trash or washing county cars after his drunken driving arrest.
Instead, the Kings coach was given two days of home detention because of a pre-existing medical condition, Sacramento County sheriff's officials revealed Friday.
The first-year coach had been sentenced to 48 hours in the county's work project program as part of a no-contest plea stemming from an October arrest in midtown Sacramento.
But because of health issues, he spent two days wearing an ankle monitor that kept him confined to his home and Arco Arena, sheriff's officials said.
Sheriff's officials would not reveal the nature of Musselman's physical condition, citing patient confidentiality restrictions provided for under federal law.
The supervisor of the work project program, however, said more than one-third of people arrested for DUI are referred to home detention because of medical conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure, heart issues, diabetes, seizures and back problems.
Musselman served his home detention from Feb. 5 to Feb. 7, officials said.
He sat out a Kings victory over New Orleans at Arco Arena on Feb. 5 -- the second of a two-game suspension handed down by the NBA for the arrest -- but was at Arco the following day.
Offenders assigned to home detention routinely are allowed to attend their jobs, according to the Sheriff's Department.
Musselman would not comment on his medical condition to a Bee reporter before Friday night's game in Los Angeles against the Lakers.
Neither a Kings spokesman nor Musselman's attorney returned telephone messages seeking comment.
"(Musselman) was never given any preferential treatment," said sheriff's Capt. Jim Cooper, who supervises the work project program.
"He received the same treatment any other member of the public would."
Musselman could have spent two 10-hour days in a work project putting together toys for the Sheriff's Department holiday toy drive, cleaning up a local park or schoolyard, or washing county-owned vehicles.
Some work project tasks involve heavy lifting or other strenuous activities, and Cooper said if someone is injured during a work project, the county is held liable.
"I don't think the citizens of Sacramento would want to pay workers' compensation for somebody serving time for a crime they committed," he said.
Those assigned to a work project fill out" medical checklists during an intake interview and sheriff's officials "take it at face value" when someone lists a medical condition, Cooper said.
With between 400 and 600 people going through the program each day, "it's not realistic" to confirm each medical claim, Cooper said.
"At some point, you have to rely on what people tell you," he said.
Musselman, 42, was pulled over about 2:15 a.m. on Oct. 21 along K Street in midtown Sacramento after police said he cut off another motorist.
At the time, he was with two women and the Kings' executive director of media relations, Darrin May.
The coach provided two Breathalyzer tests to a California Highway Patrol officer and registered a blood alcohol count of 0.11 percent, according to an arrest report.
California's legal limit is 0.08 percent.
Musselman's arrest came hours after his home coaching debut, a 112-96 victory over Utah in a preseason game.
As part of his no-contest plea, Musselman was sentenced to a first-offender program, placed on three years' informal probation and ordered to pay $1,958.87 in fines and court fees, according to court documents.
http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/132078.html
With a health waiver, Musselman avoids DUI work, stays at home.
By Ryan Lillis - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Saturday, March 3, 2007
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1
Turns out Eric Musselman didn't have to spend two days picking up trash or washing county cars after his drunken driving arrest.
Instead, the Kings coach was given two days of home detention because of a pre-existing medical condition, Sacramento County sheriff's officials revealed Friday.
The first-year coach had been sentenced to 48 hours in the county's work project program as part of a no-contest plea stemming from an October arrest in midtown Sacramento.
But because of health issues, he spent two days wearing an ankle monitor that kept him confined to his home and Arco Arena, sheriff's officials said.
Sheriff's officials would not reveal the nature of Musselman's physical condition, citing patient confidentiality restrictions provided for under federal law.
The supervisor of the work project program, however, said more than one-third of people arrested for DUI are referred to home detention because of medical conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure, heart issues, diabetes, seizures and back problems.
Musselman served his home detention from Feb. 5 to Feb. 7, officials said.
He sat out a Kings victory over New Orleans at Arco Arena on Feb. 5 -- the second of a two-game suspension handed down by the NBA for the arrest -- but was at Arco the following day.
Offenders assigned to home detention routinely are allowed to attend their jobs, according to the Sheriff's Department.
Musselman would not comment on his medical condition to a Bee reporter before Friday night's game in Los Angeles against the Lakers.
Neither a Kings spokesman nor Musselman's attorney returned telephone messages seeking comment.
"(Musselman) was never given any preferential treatment," said sheriff's Capt. Jim Cooper, who supervises the work project program.
"He received the same treatment any other member of the public would."
Musselman could have spent two 10-hour days in a work project putting together toys for the Sheriff's Department holiday toy drive, cleaning up a local park or schoolyard, or washing county-owned vehicles.
Some work project tasks involve heavy lifting or other strenuous activities, and Cooper said if someone is injured during a work project, the county is held liable.
"I don't think the citizens of Sacramento would want to pay workers' compensation for somebody serving time for a crime they committed," he said.
Those assigned to a work project fill out" medical checklists during an intake interview and sheriff's officials "take it at face value" when someone lists a medical condition, Cooper said.
With between 400 and 600 people going through the program each day, "it's not realistic" to confirm each medical claim, Cooper said.
"At some point, you have to rely on what people tell you," he said.
Musselman, 42, was pulled over about 2:15 a.m. on Oct. 21 along K Street in midtown Sacramento after police said he cut off another motorist.
At the time, he was with two women and the Kings' executive director of media relations, Darrin May.
The coach provided two Breathalyzer tests to a California Highway Patrol officer and registered a blood alcohol count of 0.11 percent, according to an arrest report.
California's legal limit is 0.08 percent.
Musselman's arrest came hours after his home coaching debut, a 112-96 victory over Utah in a preseason game.
As part of his no-contest plea, Musselman was sentenced to a first-offender program, placed on three years' informal probation and ordered to pay $1,958.87 in fines and court fees, according to court documents.
http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/132078.html
Last edited:
