University of Idaho center Kyle Barone was arraigned on a DUI charge in Whitman County District Court Monday on the heels of men's basketball coach Don Verlin's announcement the star player had been suspended from the team indefinitely.
Barone, 23, was arrested on the Washington State University campus early Sunday morning after a campus officer witnessed him allegedly stopped in his vehicle eastbound in the westbound lane of Wilson Road. He was reported to have then crossed both lanes of traffic into a parking space and hit the curb, according to the police report.
According to the report, at the scene his blood alcohol content was .186, which is more than twice the legal limit. He was arrested and checked twice at the Pullman Police Station with .194 and .178 BAC levels before being released.
Barone was also cited for allegedly having no driver's license.
Barone was to enter the 2012-13 season as the Vandals' active leader in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals, and is a strong Western Athletic Conference preseason awards candidate. The 6-foot-10 senior center averaged 12.9 points and eight rebounds per game last year, winning the WAC Player of the Week award twice en route to being earning Second-Team All-WAC honors.
Verlin made no mention of Barone's arrest Monday, but said the player had been suspended for violating team rules.
"My job is to educate student-athletes and to teach them how to conduct themselves on and off the court," Verlin said in a statement on Monday. "We have challenged Kyle to become a first-class student and resident of Moscow. How he responds will determine his status on our basketball team."
Barone is scheduled for another court appearance Oct. 18.
The University of Idaho Athletic Media Relations could not be reached for comment.
Idaho men's basketball holds its first practice at 5 p.m. Friday. The Vandals play their first exhibition game at 7:05 p.m. Oct. 27 against Seattle Pacific at Memorial Gym and open their season on Nov. 9, against Wright State.
