DUI
Son of University of Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti in Middle of DUI Controversy
Colleen Bellotti accosts journalist over article about son Luke’s two Oregon DUIs .
Luke Bellotti is the part-time kicker for the University of Oregon Ducks football team, and the son of head coach Mike Bellotti. Luke was arrested for driving under the influence of intoxicants (DUII) not once, but twice in the past year. He recently entered a guilty plea as part of an agreement with prosecutors and he must spend five days in jail before December 30.
The story takes a few twists and turns from that point.
Even though the University of Oregon athletic department publicly announced the suspension of football receiver Derrick Jones for ‘a violation of team rules’, the suspension of the team mascot for fighting with the Houston Cougars mascot and the recent suspension of two basketball players, it elected to keep Luke Bellotti’s three game suspension a secret. The coaching staff decided instead to explain the absence of the coach’s son as a case of ‘digestive illness’.
A sports journalist with The Oregonian revealed Luke Bellotti’s drunk driving arrests, and questioned the perceived double standard in remaining quiet about the suspension of the head coach’s son while making public the alcohol related transgressions of other athletes. During the Oregon Ducks football game against PAC 10 conference rival USC Trojans, coach Mike Bellotti’s ex-wife Colleen sought out the journalist to berate him for writing about her son’s DUI arrests. She, along with friends, several young children, Luke’s girlfriend and a nanny entered the press box at Autzen stadium during the fourth quarter of the Oregon-USC game and proceeded to go on a profanity-laced tirade. Colleen Bellotti’s breath reportedly reeked of alcohol, as she grabbed the journalist’s suit lapel and threatened to slap him. The nanny, holding Bellotti’s infant son, also entered the fray with her own string of profanity.
The situation ended with Oregon's sports information director calling security.
www.goducks.comusctrojans.cstv.com
www.pac-10.org
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