Gary Pinkel Arrested on Suspicion of DWI

COLUMBIA - KOMU 8 has confirmed Boone County sheriff deputies arrested MU football coach Gary Pinkel Wednesday night for DWI. Pinkel posted a $500 bond and was released from the Boone County Jail.

Deputies pulled Pinkel over in his Chevrolet Avalanche for lane and signal violations on Keene Street near Broadway around 10 p.m. The sheriff's department said this is Pinkel's first offense, and deputies said he was cooperative.

Major Tom Reddin said Pinkel's name did not appear on the Boone County Sheriff's Department 0700 report due to a computer glitch.

The sheriff's department said it has a dash cam video of the arrest, but will not release it until the end of the investigation.

Pinkel has been an advocate for safe driving, particularly for motorcycle riders. He was the spokesman for the "Arrive Alive" campaign by the Missouri Department of Transportation starting in 2008. In the campaign, Pinkel appeared on posters, billboards, and radio commercials urging drivers to watch out for motorcycles and to drive safely.

Pinkel has had at least two players and an assistant coach involved in DWI cases last year. Pinkel suspended both players, Will Ebner and Beau Brinkley, but reinstated them after two missed games in the 2010 season. Police also arrested assistant coach Bruce Walker in 2010 for suspicion of DWI while parked in a running vehicle in a parking lot.

MU Athletic Director Mike Alden is holding a press conference at 4 PM. You can watch the live stream of that event here.

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