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Investigation Hinges on DUI Results: The OSBI is Testing Eddie Sutton's Blood for Drugs and Alcohol.

Posted on: Wednesday, 15 February 2006, 12:01 CST

By April Marciszewski, Tulsa World, Okla.

Feb. 15--The public won't know exactly what happened in the parking lot of Gallagher-Iba Arena until Stillwater police finish investigating whether coach Eddie Sutton was driving under the influence. Oklahoma State University's men's basketball head coach decided to take a medical leave of absence for the rest of the season after his sport utility vehicle struck another car Friday evening and he was arrested on a DUI citation and released. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is testing Sutton's blood sample for drugs and alcohol. District Attorney Rob Hudson said Tuesday in a news release he would not know what charges would be filed until he got the blood test results. Before Sutton climbed into his white SUV, he fell and hit his head in the arena's parking lot about 5:30 p.m., witnesses told police. Stillwater Police Chief Norman McNickle said, "my understanding is" athletic trainers, people associated with the team, OSU police and maybe a doctor were nearby when Sutton fell. They "checked him over, . . . said he was fine" and let him drive toward the airport to fly to the team's away game against Texas A&M on Saturday. Why did the witnesses let Sutton get behind the wheel? "I can't answer that question," McNickle said. "I actually have the same question you do." When Sutton began his two-mile drive that ended his season, "I think clearly there were some people following him," McNickle said. Stillwater police received a 911 call from an unidentified man who said, "Coach Sutton's having trouble in his car . . . He's not feeling well. . . . I'm afraid he's going to hit somebody." Stillwater Police Deputy Chief Ron Thrasher said police don't know the identity or the phone number of the caller. Police and the district attorney aren't releasing all of the relevant records until they finish their investigation. Police released statements from six witnesses. Police reports listed 10 witnesses. The department gave out all information related to the car collision, Thrasher said. The witnesses without public statements either did not give reports or gave reports related to the DUI part of the investigation, Thrasher said. Those witnesses include two OSU police officers -- James L. Battles and Justin R. Hart -- and Dr. Thomas W. Allen, former College of Osteopathic Medicine dean who regularly attends OSU wrestling matches. OSU wrestlers had a 7 p.m. match against Hofstra on Friday. Allen did not return a phone call to his Tulsa home. Battles, a contract security officer for the OSU Police Department, said he was working security at the wrestling match, when a bystander said someone had fallen outside. That's when he went to where Sutton had fallen. "They don't want me to make a comment right now because it's still under investigation," Battles said. Police also did not release a statement from witness Kirstin K. Crawford. OSU spokesman Gary Shutt said the OSU Police Department has no records related to Friday's events, including no recorded telephone calls and no surveillance videos. ------------ April Marciszewski 581-8475 april.marciszewski@tulsaworld.com

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Copyright (c) 2006, Tulsa World, Okla.

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Source: Tulsa World

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