Associated Press 17y

Kings coach Musselman arrested on DUI charges

Sacramento Kings

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Eric Musselman, in his first season as
coach of the Sacramento Kings, was arrested on a drunken driving
charge early Saturday, hours after his team's exhibition victory
over the Utah Jazz.

Eric Musselman Musselman

He was released without bail from Sacramento County Main Jail at
dawn, the sheriff's department said. He was cited for misdemeanor
driving under the influence.

Musselman was pulled over at 2:15 a.m. about 1½ miles from the
State Capitol after his car was seen making a right-hand turn from
the left-hand lane and cutting off another vehicle, said California
Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Evan Williams.

Another man and two women were in Musselman's Mercedes. They
were released, Williams said.

The 41-year-old coach failed three sobriety tests and had a
blood-alcohol level of 0.11, according to the arrest report. The
legal limit is 0.08.

Musselman has coached four preseason games since being hired in
June. His arrest comes at a particularly inopportune time for the
franchise. On Nov. 7, voters will be asked to approve two ballot
measures increasing local sales tax as part of the club's quest to
build a new arena in downtown Sacramento.

Musselman did not immediately return a call to his cell phone
Saturday afternoon.

Geoff Petrie, the Kings' president of basketball operations,
said Musselman called him about 6 a.m. and told him of the arrest.

"He was very apologetic and ashamed for the lack of discretion
leading to this situation," Petrie said in a statement. "On
behalf of the Kings organization, we are very disappointed in the
poor personal behavior which precipitated this incident. We also
believe Eric will face this adversity honestly and appropriately."

Musselman, who coached the Golden State Warriors from 2002-04,
planned to speak to reporters Sunday afternoon at Arco Arena before
the Kings travel to Reno, Nev., for an exhibition game against the
New Orleans Hornets that night. The team opens its regular season
Nov. 1 at Minnesota.

Musselman has been through a divorce since his firing from the
Warriors, and his two sons still live in the San Francisco Bay
area.

Musselman recently told The Associated Press he can usually
drive from home to the arena in two minutes. He was arrested nine
miles from his home after the Kings' 112-96 victory Friday night.

The Kings hired Musselman to replace Rick Adelman, who was fired
after eight consecutive winning seasons. Musselman, son of the late
coach Bill Musselman, was a winning minor league coach with
extensive experience as an NBA assistant.

He led Golden State to its most successful two-season stretch
during the franchise's 12 consecutive losing seasons, but was
dismissed when the club hired Chris Mullin to run its basketball
operations. Musselman briefly worked in broadcasting before
becoming Mike Fratello's top assistant in Memphis during the
2004-05 season.

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