A Coeur d’Alene police report gave additional details about Gonzaga men’s basketball coach Mark Few’s Monday night DUI arrest, including that Few was driving erratically, smelled of alcohol and later went to a hospital for a blood draw.
Few issued a statement about the incident Tuesday evening, apologizing and saying that his decisions that night “do not exemplify” the actions of a role model.
While driving his SUV on Monday night, Few was initially followed by Kootenai County fire engine captain Seth Hohenstreet who saw Few’s vehicle swerving across the road. The captain told police he thought Few was going to hit a traffic sign three separate times.
When a police officer eventually pulled him over, the officer reported that Few smelled of alcohol and had difficulty following instructions. The officer reported that Few would begin a sentence and trail off.
Few initially refused to leave the vehicle when ordered by the officer and refused to perform field sobriety tests, the report said. Few said he had previous ankle and knee injuries that prevented him from performing field sobriety tests, according to the report.
Few eventually complied with orders to exit the SUV, but had to lean on the vehicle when he eventually stood up, according to the report.
Few initially told the officer he did not have any alcohol on Monday, but later said he had a couple of beers, according to the report. Few told police he was returning from his vacation home in Hayden Lake and driving to Spokane.
Due to the officer’s determination that Few was impaired, the officer put Few under arrest and in the back of his police car.
The officer then conducted breath tests, which showed blood alcohol levels of 0.119 and 0.120, the report said. The legal limit for blood alcohol level when driving in Idaho is 0.08.
The officer took Few to Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene after Few requested that an independent blood draw be done. The officer was later instructed by supervisors to release Few from custody and issue him a citation at the hospital, according to the report.
“While at the hospital, I was directed by my supervisors to release Mark from custody and issue a citation,” said Coeur d’Alene officer Matthew Lovingier in the report. “I took Mark out of handcuffs and issued him a citation for driving under the influence.”
The additional details come after a Tuesday report that police had issued Few a citation on suspicion of drunken driving on Monday night in North Idaho.
Few was stopped by police at North Fourth Street and East Hanley Avenue in Dalton Gardens, a town immediately north of Coeur D’Alene, at around 8 p.m. Monday.
Police said in the initial report that Few showed “several signs of intoxication” and refused to perform field sobriety tests.
Few issued an apology statement late Tuesday evening.
“I recognize that operating a motor vehicle after consuming any amount of alcohol exhibits poor judgment,” Few said. “Regardless of the outcome of the pending investigation, I will never allow such a lapse in judgment to occur again. Please know that I am committed to learning from this mistake and will work to earn back your trust in me.
“I deeply regret disappointing any of the members of the community, the young men and women who comprise my campus community, and the University as a whole,” he continued.
“In particular, I am sorry for the hurt that I have caused to those most important to me — my family, my players, and my program. I am exceedingly grateful to those who continue to offer support to me, especially my wife and children. Thank you.”
Few has coached Gonzaga for 22 seasons, shepherding the once-modest men’s basketball program to national prominence. Few led his team to the national championship game last year. He has a 630-125 record at Gonzaga.
