Former Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel set for bench trial Monday in alcohol-related case
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- A bench trial for Gary Pinkel is scheduled Monday in Camden County Circuit Court.
- Pinkel refused a chemical test and faces a one-year license suspension.
- A court-ordered stay has kept Pinkel's license from being revoked pending trial.
A bench trial for former Missouri Tigers head football coach Gary Pinkel is scheduled for Monday in front of Judge Michael Gilley in Camden County Circuit Court.
Pinkel, 74, is facing the loss of his driver's license after being stopped by a state trooper in July on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Resolution of the case has been delayed for 10 months of legal procedure while Pinkel has retained possession of his license.
He was stopped July 7 near Camdenton at the Lake of the Ozarks and held briefly before being released.
According to court documents, Pinkel refused to submit to a chemical test that would determine his blood alcohol content.
Under Missouri law, refusal of an alcohol or drug test will result in the suspension of driving privileges for one year.
Two days after the stop, Pinkel's attorney submitted a motion to stay the revocation of his license until the court delivers a ruling. Gilley granted the stay on July 11.
An initial hearing was held Sept. 25 and another hearing held Nov. 20, but it was rescheduled for Jan. 26 and postponed again until March 30. During that hearing, the May 18 bench trial was scheduled.
The stay on the revocation of Pinkel's license has remained in effect throughout the rescheduling.
In 2011, Pinkel faced a DWI charge after he was pulled over just before the final home game of the season against Texas Tech. He admitted to drinking two "jumbo" glasses of wine after failing multiple field sobriety tests, according to Missourian coverage.
He pleaded guilty Nov. 18 and was put on two years' probation. He resigned as football coach at the end of the 2015 season after a lymphoma diagnosis.
Pinkel coached the Tigers from 2001 through 2015, bringing the team to 10 bowl games in 15 years and winning six. He is "the winningest coach in school history," according to the MU Tigers website. He was voted the 2014 SEC Coach of the Year by fellow league coaches.
Copyright 2026 Columbia Missourian
This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 5:40 PM with the headline "Former Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel set for bench trial Monday in alcohol-related case."