Augie Garrido, baseball coach for the Texas Longhorns, was arrested near downtown Austin, Texas on January 17 for driving under the influence. On January 23, he gave an emotional apology and announced that he would not be in the team’s dugout for their first four games.
Garrido said that he “made a serious mistake” at a press conference with the school’s athletic director DeLoss Dodds. “I drank alcohol, I got behind the wheel of a car, and that’s a bad decision,” he said.
Garrido would not take any questions at the press conference because the legal case is still pending, but he also apologized to any families who have had a loved one killed or injured by a drunk driver, saying, “I’m really glad that’s not a part of what we’re talking about here today.”
Texas’ 2009 season begins on February 20. Garrido’s suspension was effective on the day of his arrest and he will miss a four-game home stand against Illinois-Chicago. He will return February 24 for the Longhorns’ game against UT-Arlington.
Garrido is the winningest baseball coach in NCAA Division I history with 1,629 wins. He has won five national championships, three with Cal-State Fullerton and two with Texas.