http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/114336.html
No special treatment for Musselman DUI
Kings coach will do his full community service, sheriff's officials say.
By Ryan Lillis - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Saturday, January 27, 2007
Eric Musselman's celebrity doesn't mean he's going to get off his drunken-driving case with preferential treatment, posing for photographs or signing autographs to fulfill his community service hours.
The Kings coach will spend 48 hours cleaning up a local park or schoolyard, building toys for the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department holiday toy drive or washing vehicles owned by the county following his no-contest plea Thursday over an October arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Sometime in the next few days, Musselman will sit down with a screener for the sheriff's work project program, who will decide how the first-year coach will spend his community service, officials said. Musselman's attorney already has contacted the work project program, but his service has not yet been scheduled, according to sheriff's Sgt. Tim Curran.
"In general terms, we try not to set anybody up for failure," said Curran, adding that Musselman will not get special treatment. "We try to get the location or site closest to their homes, and we try to work with their work schedule."
In addition to the work project hours, Musselman, 42, was sentenced to a first-offender program, given three years' informal probation and ordered to pay $1,958.87 in fines and court fees, according to court documents.
Musselman was pulled over about 2:15 a.m. on Oct. 21 on K Street in midtown Sacramento after he cut off another motorist, authorities said. At the time, he was with two women and the Kings' executive director of media relations, Darrin May.
The group was out after the Kings had defeated Utah 112-96 in Musselman's home debut as coach.
Musselman provided two Breathalyzer tests to a California Highway Patrol officer and registered a blood alcohol count of 0.11 percent, an arrest report showed.
The state's legal limit is 0.08 percent.
When asked to comment before the Kings' game in New Orleans on Friday night against the Hornets, Musselman replied, "We pleaded no contest. That's the comment."
Musselman's attorney, John Virga, said in an interview that his client "wasn't treated differently than anyone else."
"He's very sorry that this happened and nothing like this will ever happen again," Virga said. "He wants to continue on with the Kings and do the very best job he can. He's glad this is behind him, he's accepted responsibility for his actions and it's a lesson learned."
The league is still reviewing Musselman's case, Tim Frank, an NBA spokesman, said Friday night. Earlier this season, Charlotte Bobcats assistant coach John-Blair Bickerstaff was suspended for two games without pay by the league after pleading guilty to driving while impaired.
Musselman's punishment is similar to the sentence handed out to "Good Day Sacramento" anchor Mark S. Allen, who pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in December. Allen was pulled over in late August at Sacramento International Airport and, according to court documents, had a blood alcohol level of 0.11 percent.
Allen later told The Bee that he had a couple of drinks at a dinner with friends and described his arrest as "absolutely embarrassing."
About the writer: The Bee's Ryan Lillis can be reached at (916) 321-1085 or rlillis@sacbee.com. Bee researcher Sheila A. Kern and staff writers Scott Howard-Cooper and Sam Amick contributed to this report.
No special treatment for Musselman DUI
Kings coach will do his full community service, sheriff's officials say.
By Ryan Lillis - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Saturday, January 27, 2007
Eric Musselman's celebrity doesn't mean he's going to get off his drunken-driving case with preferential treatment, posing for photographs or signing autographs to fulfill his community service hours.
The Kings coach will spend 48 hours cleaning up a local park or schoolyard, building toys for the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department holiday toy drive or washing vehicles owned by the county following his no-contest plea Thursday over an October arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Sometime in the next few days, Musselman will sit down with a screener for the sheriff's work project program, who will decide how the first-year coach will spend his community service, officials said. Musselman's attorney already has contacted the work project program, but his service has not yet been scheduled, according to sheriff's Sgt. Tim Curran.
"In general terms, we try not to set anybody up for failure," said Curran, adding that Musselman will not get special treatment. "We try to get the location or site closest to their homes, and we try to work with their work schedule."
In addition to the work project hours, Musselman, 42, was sentenced to a first-offender program, given three years' informal probation and ordered to pay $1,958.87 in fines and court fees, according to court documents.
Musselman was pulled over about 2:15 a.m. on Oct. 21 on K Street in midtown Sacramento after he cut off another motorist, authorities said. At the time, he was with two women and the Kings' executive director of media relations, Darrin May.
The group was out after the Kings had defeated Utah 112-96 in Musselman's home debut as coach.
Musselman provided two Breathalyzer tests to a California Highway Patrol officer and registered a blood alcohol count of 0.11 percent, an arrest report showed.
The state's legal limit is 0.08 percent.
When asked to comment before the Kings' game in New Orleans on Friday night against the Hornets, Musselman replied, "We pleaded no contest. That's the comment."
Musselman's attorney, John Virga, said in an interview that his client "wasn't treated differently than anyone else."
"He's very sorry that this happened and nothing like this will ever happen again," Virga said. "He wants to continue on with the Kings and do the very best job he can. He's glad this is behind him, he's accepted responsibility for his actions and it's a lesson learned."
The league is still reviewing Musselman's case, Tim Frank, an NBA spokesman, said Friday night. Earlier this season, Charlotte Bobcats assistant coach John-Blair Bickerstaff was suspended for two games without pay by the league after pleading guilty to driving while impaired.
Musselman's punishment is similar to the sentence handed out to "Good Day Sacramento" anchor Mark S. Allen, who pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in December. Allen was pulled over in late August at Sacramento International Airport and, according to court documents, had a blood alcohol level of 0.11 percent.
Allen later told The Bee that he had a couple of drinks at a dinner with friends and described his arrest as "absolutely embarrassing."
About the writer: The Bee's Ryan Lillis can be reached at (916) 321-1085 or rlillis@sacbee.com. Bee researcher Sheila A. Kern and staff writers Scott Howard-Cooper and Sam Amick contributed to this report.
