Post by NeedMoreFans on Nov 10, 2005 15:11:06 GMT -6
From the Nashville Tenneseean....
Accident victims had been at house of UT's coach
No alcohol served to boys, Pearl says
By CHRIS LOW
Staff Writer
KNOXVILLE — Two of the high school students involved in a fatal automobile accident early Tuesday morning had been at the home of Tennessee men's basketball Coach Bruce Pearl earlier that evening, he said yesterday.
Knoxville police investigating the crash have said they believe alcohol was a factor in the 1:55 a.m. death of West High School senior Bradley Prosise, who was driving the 1998 Chevrolet Blazer in which three other West High students were injured.
Prosise was a close friend of Pearl's son, Steven, who also attends West High.
Pearl said the boys were at his house a total of 30 to 45 minutes and that no alcohol was served or consumed during that time.
"It's a devastating occurrence," Pearl said. "Earlier that evening, some of the guys that were in that car were at my house celebrating my daughter's (Jacqui's) birthday. We sang Happy Birthday, ate some cake and then they left the house around 11:30 p.m."
Pearl said he saw no indication that any of the boys had been drinking alcohol.
"If not for the grace of God, my son could have been in that car," said Pearl, in his first year as the Vols' basketball coach.
"I always tell my players, just like I tell my children, that good things don't happen when you're out that late."
Pearl, along with his family, had been at a local restaurant earlier that evening doing his Vol Calls radio show. The schools in Knoxville were out on Tuesday for a holiday.
Darrell DeBusk, a spokesperson for the Knoxville Police Department, said three different investigative teams were
working the accident.
"We are still trying to determine where and how they obtained the alcohol," DeBusk said. "We've done some interviews, and we have additional interviews we need to do. We're also looking at the evidence we recovered at the scene of the crash."
Pearl said yesterday following practice that he had not spoken with police investigators, but added, "I'm sure they may. This is a serious, serious situation. We feel awful about it.
"But again, we've got some rules in our house, and those guys know. There's no drinking at our house."
Tennessee Athletics Director Mike Hamilton said yesterday that Pearl had made him aware of everything, but that any comment on the matter should come from Pearl.
After hearing about the accident Tuesday morning, Pearl and Steven went to the hospital.
"My son was understandably broken up," Pearl said.
"We came back at noon and filmed a commercial with state troopers about drinking and driving. These are very difficult lessons to learn." n
Accident victims had been at house of UT's coach
No alcohol served to boys, Pearl says
By CHRIS LOW
Staff Writer
KNOXVILLE — Two of the high school students involved in a fatal automobile accident early Tuesday morning had been at the home of Tennessee men's basketball Coach Bruce Pearl earlier that evening, he said yesterday.
Knoxville police investigating the crash have said they believe alcohol was a factor in the 1:55 a.m. death of West High School senior Bradley Prosise, who was driving the 1998 Chevrolet Blazer in which three other West High students were injured.
Prosise was a close friend of Pearl's son, Steven, who also attends West High.
Pearl said the boys were at his house a total of 30 to 45 minutes and that no alcohol was served or consumed during that time.
"It's a devastating occurrence," Pearl said. "Earlier that evening, some of the guys that were in that car were at my house celebrating my daughter's (Jacqui's) birthday. We sang Happy Birthday, ate some cake and then they left the house around 11:30 p.m."
Pearl said he saw no indication that any of the boys had been drinking alcohol.
"If not for the grace of God, my son could have been in that car," said Pearl, in his first year as the Vols' basketball coach.
"I always tell my players, just like I tell my children, that good things don't happen when you're out that late."
Pearl, along with his family, had been at a local restaurant earlier that evening doing his Vol Calls radio show. The schools in Knoxville were out on Tuesday for a holiday.
Darrell DeBusk, a spokesperson for the Knoxville Police Department, said three different investigative teams were
working the accident.
"We are still trying to determine where and how they obtained the alcohol," DeBusk said. "We've done some interviews, and we have additional interviews we need to do. We're also looking at the evidence we recovered at the scene of the crash."
Pearl said yesterday following practice that he had not spoken with police investigators, but added, "I'm sure they may. This is a serious, serious situation. We feel awful about it.
"But again, we've got some rules in our house, and those guys know. There's no drinking at our house."
Tennessee Athletics Director Mike Hamilton said yesterday that Pearl had made him aware of everything, but that any comment on the matter should come from Pearl.
After hearing about the accident Tuesday morning, Pearl and Steven went to the hospital.
"My son was understandably broken up," Pearl said.
"We came back at noon and filmed a commercial with state troopers about drinking and driving. These are very difficult lessons to learn." n
