COLUMBIA | Suspended Missouri football coach Gary Pinkel on Friday morning entered a guilty plea to a Class B misdemeanor for driving while intoxicated and was given a suspended 30-day sentence meaning he will serve no jail time and no fine.Pinkel was also given two years probation with any similar incident in that period resulting in Pinkel having to serve the jail time.Bogdon Susan, the attorney representing Pinkel in Boone County Court, said the sentence was: The same as any other member of the community facing the same charge.The resolution of Coach Pinkels case is consistent with the remorse he has already acknowledged, and his desire to take full responsibility for his actions.That will include, ultimately, Pinkel hearing public reaction to some embarrassing details contained in the Boone County Sheriff Departments offense report of Pinkels arrest around 10:15 Wednesday evening near Boone County National Bank at 205 S. Keene Street in Columbia.According to that report, Pinkel, when asked to undergo a field sobriety test for balance, stated: Im not sure if I was sober I could do that.When asked to recite the alphabet starting with the letter E, Pinkel said E-F-G-H-R, according to the report. Pinkel, then starting with the letter A, said A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-R.Further, the report stated, Pinkel said he had consumed two glasses of red wine between 8 and 9:30 p.m. and was asked how big the servings were. He replied, Jumbo.The report also said Pinkel told a deputy, when asked about prescriptions, that he took Lipitor and Ambien.These details, along with video taken by police, came to light on Friday afternoon after Pinkels guilty plea and the sentencing agreement between his attorney and the Boone County Prosecutors Office.Missouri statute also includes a penalty of 30 days suspended drivers license and a possible 60 days of possible further driving restrictions. That will be applied in Pinkels case, Susan said.Within an hour of the 11:30 a.m. sentencing agreement being announced, the University of Missouri posted on its athletic web site an open letter to MU fans written by Pinkel.It said:Tiger Nation,I reach out to you with a sense of great personal disappointment and regret over the decisions I made this past Wednesday night. Weve known each other for a long time and Ive worked hard to represent you and the University of Missouri, a place we all love, with the highest standards of integrity. I put myself in a situation that was absolutely counter to those standards and it pains me to know that I let you all down. Weve built a family here at Mizzou, and its built on trust.On Wednesday night I betrayed that trust.Social responsibility and discipline are two things I constantly emphasize to our team. My lack of both in this instance will hopefully prove to be a teachable moment and serve as an example to others of what not to do. Ive stressed to my players that there are consequences to your actions and I face stiff consequences for what Ive done.It will be the most difficult day of my professional life to not be with my team this Saturday. My heart goes out to this group of seniors who will be playing their final home game at The Zou. Theyve accomplished so much and Im very proud of them. Dont let my mistake shed a negative light on the many outstanding ways all of our players represent Mizzou.I realize its not as simple as saying sorry and moving on. I expect to be held accountable. I embrace the challenge of building back the trust of Tiger fans everywhere.Its a great honor to be your coach.Sincerely,Gary R. PinkelOn Thursday, Pinkel was suspended for one week by Missouri athletic director Mike Alden, who announced numerous financial penalties that could cost Pinkel in excess of $306,000 in withheld salary and incentives.Pinkel will not coach Missouri Saturday against Texas Tech in the Tigers final home game. He can have no contact with the MU football program until Thursday morning, when he will be reinstated as coach.The final game of Missouris regular season is Nov. 26 against Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium.

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Pinkel gets suspended sentence as details emerge from DUI stop

By MIKE DEARMOND

The Kansas City Star

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Pinkel was also given two years’ probation with any similar incident in that period resulting in Pinkel having to serve the jail time.

Bogdon Susan, the attorney representing Pinkel in Boone County Court, said the sentence was: “The same as any other member of the community facing the same charge.

“The resolution of Coach Pinkel’s case is consistent with the remorse he has already acknowledged, and his desire to take full responsibility for his actions.”

That will include, ultimately, Pinkel hearing public reaction to some embarrassing details contained in the Boone County Sheriff Department’s offense report of Pinkel’s arrest around 10:15 Wednesday evening near Boone County National Bank at 205 S. Keene Street in Columbia.

According to that report, Pinkel, when asked to undergo a field sobriety test for balance, stated: “I’m not sure if I was sober I could do that.”

When asked to recite the alphabet starting with the letter “E”, Pinkel said “E-F-G-H-R,” according to the report. Pinkel, then starting with the letter “A”, said “A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-R.”

Further, the report stated, Pinkel said he had consumed two glasses of red wine between 8 and 9:30 p.m. and was asked how big the servings were. He replied, “Jumbo.”

The report also said Pinkel told a deputy, when asked about prescriptions, that he took Lipitor and Ambien.

These details, along with video taken by police, came to light on Friday afternoon after Pinkel’s guilty plea and the sentencing agreement between his attorney and the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office.

Missouri statute also includes a penalty of 30 days suspended driver’s license and a possible 60 days of possible further driving restrictions. That will be applied in Pinkel’s case, Susan said.

Within an hour of the 11:30 a.m. sentencing agreement being announced, the University of Missouri posted on its athletic web site an open letter to MU fans written by Pinkel.

It said:

“Tiger Nation,

I reach out to you with a sense of great personal disappointment and regret over the decisions I made this past Wednesday night. We’ve known each other for a long time and I’ve worked hard to represent you and the University of Missouri, a place we all love, with the highest standards of integrity. I put myself in a situation that was absolutely counter to those standards and it pains me to know that I let you all down. We’ve built a family here at Mizzou, and it’s built on trust.

On Wednesday night I betrayed that trust.

Social responsibility and discipline are two things I constantly emphasize to our team. My lack of both in this instance will hopefully prove to be a teachable moment and serve as an example to others of what not to do. I’ve stressed to my players that there are consequences to your actions and I face stiff consequences for what I’ve done.

It will be the most difficult day of my professional life to not be with my team this Saturday. My heart goes out to this group of seniors who will be playing their final home game at The Zou. They’ve accomplished so much and I’m very proud of them. Don’t let my mistake shed a negative light on the many outstanding ways all of our players represent Mizzou.

I realize it’s not as simple as saying sorry and moving on. I expect to be held accountable. I embrace the challenge of building back the trust of Tiger fans everywhere.

It’s a great honor to be your coach.

Sincerely,

Gary R. Pinkel”

On Thursday, Pinkel was suspended for one week by Missouri athletic director Mike Alden, who announced numerous financial penalties that could cost Pinkel in excess of $306,000 in withheld salary and incentives.

Pinkel will not coach Missouri Saturday against Texas Tech in the Tigers’ final home game. He can have no contact with the MU football program until Thursday morning, when he will be reinstated as coach.

The final game of Missouri’s regular season is Nov. 26 against Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium.