Can't Make This Stuff Up...
Corvallis, Ore. (AP) -- An Oregon State football had a stolen sheep in the bed of his pickup when he was pulled over for speeding last week, Benton County authorities said.
Defensive tackle Ben Siegert, 20, was charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants after failing field sobriety tests. Ninety minutes after being pulled over, the 280-pound Siegert registered a .14 percent blood-alcohol content on a breath analyzer at the Benton County Jail, according to the sheriff's office. Oregon considers drivers with a .08 percent blood alcohol content to be drunk.
Siegert told the (Corvallis) Gazette-Times that he had nothing to do with the stolen ram.
"I don't know anything about that," he said. "I'm from a city. I don't know anything about sheep."
Benton County Undersheriff Diana Simpson disagreed, saying Siegert might have been "too intoxicated to remember."
The 200-pound ram lives at the university's Sheep Center, and is part of a study on homosexuality in sheep, said Sheep Center manager Tom Nichols.
"We have at least one prank a year where we have to go to a dormitory or a sorority house and pick up a ram or a lamb or a ewe," Nichols said. "It's one of those springtime pranks."
The deputy chose not to arrest anybody for taking the sheep.
Coach Mike Riley is still evaluating Siegert's situation, said Steve Fenk, the Oregon State sports information director.
"At this point they're just going to deal with it internally," Fenk said. "I don't know if it's going to affect spring practice."
Defensive tackle Ben Siegert, 20, was charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants after failing field sobriety tests. Ninety minutes after being pulled over, the 280-pound Siegert registered a .14 percent blood-alcohol content on a breath analyzer at the Benton County Jail, according to the sheriff's office. Oregon considers drivers with a .08 percent blood alcohol content to be drunk.
Siegert told the (Corvallis) Gazette-Times that he had nothing to do with the stolen ram.
"I don't know anything about that," he said. "I'm from a city. I don't know anything about sheep."
Benton County Undersheriff Diana Simpson disagreed, saying Siegert might have been "too intoxicated to remember."
The 200-pound ram lives at the university's Sheep Center, and is part of a study on homosexuality in sheep, said Sheep Center manager Tom Nichols.
"We have at least one prank a year where we have to go to a dormitory or a sorority house and pick up a ram or a lamb or a ewe," Nichols said. "It's one of those springtime pranks."
The deputy chose not to arrest anybody for taking the sheep.
Coach Mike Riley is still evaluating Siegert's situation, said Steve Fenk, the Oregon State sports information director.
"At this point they're just going to deal with it internally," Fenk said. "I don't know if it's going to affect spring practice."