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According to a post in the police department public safety siteofficers in Pittsburgh found Huggins blocking traffic in a black SUV on Friday just before 8:30 p.m. Huggins' door opens, and the car has a “flat and ripped tire”.
The police instruct Huggins to move his vehicle off the road, which he painstakingly does. He failed a field sobriety test and was arrested.
According to the criminal complaint, police found a white bag filled with empty beer cans on the floor of Huggins' car. Another white bag filled with cans was found in the trunk. When police asked Huggins where he was, he replied “Columbus”, which officers said meant he thought he was in Ohio. Huggins blew .210 on the breathalyzer, nearly three times the legal blood alcohol limit of .08 in Pennsylvania.
Huggins has since been released from custody.
Background: Huggins Suspended in May
Last month, Huggins was disciplined after he used a homophobic slur twice and mocked Catholics on a local Cincinnati radio program.
His contract was reworked, taking $1 million off his $4.15 million a year salary. Huggins was also required to undergo sensitivity training and was suspended for the first three games of the 2023-24 season.
In a statement on May 10the university's president and athletic director said Huggins' actions were “unfair and undeserved that hurt many people and has tarnished West Virginia University.”
The statement added that any future instances of derogatory or offensive language would result in Huggins' “immediate termination”.
“I have no excuse for the language I used, and I take full responsibility,” Huggins said in a statement at the time. “I will adhere to the actions outlined by the university and athletic leadership to learn from this incident. I have had several conversations with colleagues and friends I greatly respect and admire over the last 24 hours, and I am acutely aware of the pain I have caused.”
Friday's arrest isn't Huggins' first breach of the law. Huggins, who coached at the University of Cincinnati from 1989 to 2005, was charged with drunk driving in Ohio in 2004 and did not enter the contest. The school suspended him indefinitely before allowing him to coach for the 2004-5 season. Huggins bought $3 million from Cincinnati in August 2005.
Why It Matters: Huggins Is a Power Figure in Sports
Huggins, 69, has the most wins of any active men's Division I basketball coach, with 863. In 38 seasons as head coach at Akron, Cincinnati, Kansas State and West Virginia, he led his team to 26 NCAA tournament appearances, including two Finals. Fours, and won five conference coach of the year awards.
He ranks eighth on the career win list, leaving 14 wins short of beating Adolph Rupp of Kentucky and tying Jim Calhoun of Connecticut. But the national title escapes Huggins, who has the most wins of any coach to have never cut the championship net.
The university released a statement on Saturday night thanked Huggins for his service.
“Coach Huggins is devoted to his players, to our student body, to our fans and alumni, and to all West Virginians,” the statement read. “His contribution will always be part of our history.”