Cards' La Russa charged with DUI
By T.J. QUINN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Thursday, March 22nd 2007, 4:06 PM

After dinner with actor/singer Vic Damone and two other friends last night, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa finished his night in the Palm Beach County jail on drunk driving charges.

According to police in Jupiter, Fla., where the Cardinals spend spring training, La Russa was found at an intersection slumped in the driver's seat of his blue Ford SUV around midnight, asleep or passed out with his foot on the brake and the engine running.

La Russa, a law school graduate, didn't speak to reporters about the incident before today's exhibition game between the Cards and the Florida Marlins, but couldn't have had much sleep before the game.

Police officers, who put their cruiser in front of LaRussa's car to prevent him from accidentally driving into the intersection, had to knock on the window repeatedly before LaRussa responded, according to the report. He told police he had "two glasses" of wine at dinner and felt "just tired," but he failed field sobriety and breathalyzer tests, registering a .093 blood-alcohol level, with the test taken almost two hours after he was found by police. Florida's legal limit is .08.

According to the report La Russa is also taking medication. The name of the drug was redacted, but La Russa told police he had an inner ear virus that affects his balance.

He was sent to the Palm Beach County jail at 4 a.m. and posted $500 bond at 8:20 a.m. Police described him in the report as being cooperative. The report also says that La Russa had four rings with him, one from the 2004 NLCS, and the others from the 1988, 1989 and 1990 ALCS series.

"I'm not sure what type of statement to give," La Russa said after his team's 2-1 spring training loss to the Florida Marlins today. "I've been scribbling stuff.

"Last night's situation is the opposite of feeling good. It was an embarrassment, so I apologize to anyone who is close to me, members of the Cardinals organization, our fans. I regret it, take responsibility and I'm not sure there is anything else I can say," he said.

La Russa's court date is set for April 25, when the Cardinals are schedule to play at home.

La Russa is a four-time manager of the year and led the Cardinals to the World Series championship last season. He also won the title in 1989 with the Oakland Athletics and has won three other pennants. His 2,297 wins over 28 seasons with the Chicago White Sox, A's and Cardinals is third all-time.

http://www.nydailynews.co...dui-1.html

Everyone seem to get arrested these days.
Is it a crime wave?

ItsOnlyMe said:

Celebrities are just dumb. That's the answer.