PULLMAN, Wash – The Washington State University running backs coach resigned after two months on the job, just over a week after he was arrested for DUI.
WSU announced Robbie Rouse’s resignation Wednesday, saying he stepped down for personal reasons.
4 News Now filed a public records request, revealing Rouse had an exceedingly high level of alcohol in his system when he was arrested on March 16th.
Washington State Patrol Rouse was speeding on Highway 195 and the trooper said his car hit the center line twice.
When he was pulled over, the trooper said Rouse’s speech was slow and slurred and that his eyes were bloodshot and watery.
The trooper said when Rouse got out of the car, he was unsteady on his feet and staggering.
Rouse told the trooper he had two rum and cokes; he refused field sobriety tests. He was placed under arrest for DUI.
In the affidavit of probable cause, the trooper said when Rouse was taken to the Whitman County jail he needed help walking and he vomited in the jail.
The trooper said Rouse’s first blood alcohol test showed a BAC of .314 and .323. It was so high, the trooper took him to the hospital to be medically cleared before booking him into the jail.
.08 is the legal threshold for driving in Washington. The Cleveland Clinic says with a BAC of between .30 and .40, “you’ll likely have alcohol poisoning… and experience a loss of consciousness.”
The trooper wrote that Rouse was initially booked into the jail without bail because of two prior DUIs in the last 10 years.
Rouse was hired by new WSU head coach Jimmy Rogers in January. Rouse had previously coached with Rogers at South Dakota State.
The website Cougfan.com posted a statement from Rouse in which he said he had a “terrible lapse in judgement.”
He said Rogers asked for his resignation.
Rouse said he now needs to take the opportunity to work on himself.
You can read Rouse’s full statement here.
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