(RADIO.COM Sports) The White Sox's decision to hire Tony La Russa as their new manager raised a lot of eyebrows across the MLB landscape. Now, the latest news regarding the 76-year-old La Russa will raise more questions and concerns.
La Russa was charged on Oct. 28 with driving under the influence, according to Jeff Passan and Paula Lavigne of ESPN, citing court records. The charge stemmed from an incident in February in Phoenix, where he allegedly crashed his car into a curb, leaving his car smoking as a result, ESPN reported. The charge was officially filed a day before the White Sox named La Russa their new manager on Oct. 29.
The White Sox were aware of La Russa being arrested on suspicion of DUI before hiring him, the Sun-Times reported. The White Sox declined further comment. La Russa is in "no danger" of losing his job, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported.
The report details that an officer found La Russa standing outside his car, smelling of alcohol. He took a field sobriety test before being taken into custody, and his behavior was marked as "argumentative" throughout the process, according to the officer's affidavit. His blood alcohol content registered above .08%, which is high enough to be considered a misdemeanor, a charge that can leave La Russa with a 10-day jail sentence under Arizona law, ESPN reported.
In an attempt to question La Russa over the phone, ESPN was left with the brief response of, "I have nothing to say," according to its report.
It's not the first time La Russa has been charged with DUI, as he was infamously found asleep in his car in a 2007 incident near the Cardinals' spring training facility in Florida while he was St. Louis' manager. In that instance, his BAC was .093%, above the .08% that is the state's legal limit.
"Last night's situation is the opposite of feeling good," La Russa said back then of that DUI incident. "It was an embarrassment, so I apologize to anyone who is close to me, members of the Cardinals organization, our fans. I regret it, take responsibility and I'm not sure there is anything else I can say."
A second statement that came on the day of his guilty plea added on that he "learned a very valuable lesson and that this will never happen again."
La Russa is the third-winningest manager in MLB history and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014. He hasn't managed since leaving the Cardinals in 2011, though he has remained in the game in front office and advisory roles.
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