Gonzaga basketball coach Mark Few, cited on suspicion of drunken driving, apologizes for ‘lapse in judgment’

Gonzaga men’s basketball coach Mark Few is facing a DUI charge after he was pulled over Monday in North Idaho, according to the Coeur d’Alene Police Department.

In a statement released Tuesday evening, Few apologized, saying his decisions Monday “do not exemplify” standards expected of a leader and a role model.

Few was stopped around 8 p.m. at North Fourth Street and East Hanley Avenue in Dalton Gardens, according to a police report obtained by The Spokesman-Review through a public records request.

Police wrote that Few was driving erratically and speeding. The vehicle involved, according to the report, was a Cadillac Escalade.

Few exhibited “several signs of intoxication” and refused to complete field sobriety tests, according to police, but provided breath samples that showed his blood alcohol level to be 0.119 and 0.120, the report said. The legal limit is 0.08.

There were no other passengers in the vehicle, police said.

“I recognize that operating a motor vehicle after consuming any amount of alcohol exhibits poor judgment,” Few said. “Regardless of the outcome of the pending investigation, I will never allow such a lapse in judgment to occur again. Please know that I am committed to learning from this mistake and will work to earn back your trust in me.

“I deeply regret disappointing any of the members of the community, the young men and women who comprise my campus community, and the University as a whole,” he continued. “In particular, I am sorry for the hurt that I have caused to those most important to me – my family, my players, and my program. I am exceedingly grateful to those who continue to offer support to me, especially my wife and children. Thank you.”

Gonzaga Director of Athletics Chris Standiford said the university was aware of Few’s citation.

“While the facts of the situation are still being evaluated, we understand its severity and the legal process that will follow,” Standiford said. “As a Gonzaga employee, we respect Coach Few’s right to privacy and will refrain from further comment at this time.”

Few has coached Gonzaga for 22 seasons, developing the men’s basketball program into a national powerhouse, including a run to the NCAA national championship game last spring. With a 630-125 record, Few’s .834 winning percentage is No. 1 all-time at the NCAA Division I or equivalent level for coaches with at least 10 years of experience.