Spencer Coleman Arrested For DUI

Off the court, it already was not the best offseason for Montana and coach Wayne Tinkle. Things got a little bit worse this week when senior forward Spencer Coleman was arrested for a DUI - his second alcohol-related offense in four months.

Spencer C. Coleman, 21, was cited for driving under the influence, a misdemeanor. In February, before he turned 21, he was cited for speeding and being a minor in possession of alcohol.

Coleman was arrested at about 2:45 a.m. Monday after a Missoula police officer spotted a broken tail lamp on his 1997 black Nissan Maxima, which was stopped in the middle of the 200 block of Ryman Street, according to the affidavit in the case.

Wayne Tinkle had a comment:

“We’re evaluating the situation,” said basketball coach Wayne Tinkle. “Obviously we take those things very seriously. We’ll follow the student conduct code and act as swiftly as we can given the circumstances.”

This is alarmingly becoming a trend for the Grizzlies. Off the top of my head, there are two incidents with Coleman, a DUI for guard Kevin Henderson earlier this year, and the incident involving Keron DeShields and Will Cherry last month. Regardless of whether the verdicts are eventually guilty or not guilty, it certainly reflects poorly for the Grizzlies.

While this probably doesn't warrant a dismissal from the team, I would expect a lengthy suspension for Coleman, given that it is a second offense so soon, in addition to all of the problems players have been finding themselves getting into. They need to put an end to this publicity, and the best way would perhaps be giving Coleman a swift and steep punishment. Hopefully that would be enough to help convince Coleman that there are serious consequences to his actions, and help deter the rest of the Grizzlies from making similarly poor decisions.

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