Al Unser Jr. DWI Charge: Two-Time Indy 500 Winner Pleads Guilty

Two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Jr. pleaded guilty to a DWI charge.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday to driving while intoxicated and racing on a New Mexico freeway.

The retired racer entered the plea a day before he was set to go to trial on aggravated DWI, drag racing and reckless driving charges. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, but a judge deferred that in favor of 364 days of supervised probation.

Unser was arrested in September after he was accused of racing another car in his Suburban and driving over 100 mph near Albuquerque. Authorities say Unser smelled of alcohol, his speech was slurred and his blood-alcohol content was twice the legal limit of 0.08.

He was charged with reckless driving and aggravated driving while intoxicated, and later released on released from jail on his own recognizance.

His attorney, Sam Bregman, told the court that his client completed 30 days of inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse.

"Al Unser Jr. is truly sorry for the poor mistake he made last fall," Bregman told The Associated Press. "He's taking steps to make sure it doesn't happen again."

The arrest wasn't Unser's first encounter with the law. In 2007, he pleaded no contest to a driving under the influence charge stemming from a January 2007 crash on a Nevada freeway.

Nevada authorities said Unser's blood-alcohol content was three times the legal limit and he failed field sobriety tests. As part of the plea deal, Unser lost his driver's license for 90 days, was fined $1,000 and had to attend a drunken driving school, a victim-impact panel and undergo alcohol abuse evaluation.

His lawyer at the time said Unser had stopped drinking and was attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Unser also performed more than 100 hours of community service on alcohol treatment-related causes.

In 2002, Unser also underwent treatment for alcohol abuse after his girlfriend said he hit her in the face while he was drunk in Indianapolis. Prosecutors didn't file charges.

Unser, who is retired, is the son of four-time Indy 500 champion Al Unser, and the nephew of three-time Indy winner Bobby Unser. Al Unser Jr. won the Indy 500 in 1992 and 1994, and won two CART points titles and two IROC championships.

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Comments

[mrbradw1961]

12:59 AM on 04/13/2012

Al Unser jr has always been a worthless piece of poo. Hope he ends up in another dui and wrecks his car and his life.

[magnetplanner]

11:15 PM on 04/26/2012

That's a sad comment. Can't imagine wishing that fate on anyone.

[cul8rsb]

11:16 PM on 04/12/2012

The jails are over crowded, you can’t just send everybody there, but before he kills some innocent person in his drunken stopper behind the wheel, they need to take him out and I don’t mean to dinner.

[florencebrady]

10:12 PM on 04/12/2012

Okay not defending DWI since I'm a near tea totler.

But, I'll bet he can drive better sober than I could if I was drunk!

[bennett388]

04:41 PM on 04/18/2012

I'm thinker than you drunk I am! Contemplate on what you said above grasshopper!

[florencebrady]

06:11 PM on 04/18/2012

OOPS!

You're the only one who caught that. But you know what I meant---------------do you think its easy being like this?

I have to try twice as hard to get anything half as right as anyone else!

[Dolly Knight Hughes]

10:07 PM on 04/12/2012

Must be nice to get released on your OR. Not many violators get that option.

[dcgraham45]

09:57 PM on 04/12/2012

Just what we need - another drunk on the road. Released on his own recognizance? He was driving drunk, drives drunk. That shows he is irresponsible. The fact that he agrees to appear in court is kind of irrelevant. I hope racing officials do a blood test before he gets behind a wheel there.

[Marian Bailey]

08:37 PM on 04/12/2012

Always was a hot-headed drunk.
What a shame! He was a great racecar driver.

[midway59]

07:37 PM on 04/12/2012

What a shame for his family. Hope he see the light and gets the proper help and turn his life around before something awful happens. If he doesn't he should have the means to have somebody else drive him around while he is drinking. Or stay home and drink.

[hattie54]

08:16 PM on 04/12/2012

He looks nothing like his Dad.I bet his mother is red headed and Irish too.The Irish have booze in their blood.

[octap53]

07:28 PM on 04/12/2012

it's great to win those titles on the track,but when you take it to the streets you put innocent people in harms way with a 1 ton destructive machine. if your gonna drink,fine, just don't drive and potentially kill an innocent person.

[Dennis Pilkington]

07:04 PM on 04/12/2012

The length of the sentence is determined by name and income.Any other schmoe would just now be getting out of jail from the furst offense.

[ksmjlm]

06:05 PM on 04/12/2012

ROLE MODEL??????

[octap53]

07:29 PM on 04/12/2012

yeah, what a role model to have.''not''

[keeniisite]

06:03 PM on 04/12/2012

Alcoholism is a horrible disease. you want to quit, you know you should quit, everyone around you is begging you to quit, but the obsession is so strong. I hope he finds his way.

[octap53]

07:32 PM on 04/12/2012

true,but when you get into a car,you have crossed the line big time. you wanna kill yourself,go ahead but don't take anyone else down with you that was just doing the right thing.

[Cam Chatka]

05:37 PM on 04/12/2012

So if he causes an accident and kills or maims someone, then he gets the 90 days in jail? All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others, huh?

[ahcrod]

04:57 PM on 04/12/2012

Anyone else would be spending time in Crowbar College, where he should be.

[bagadoughnuts3]

07:02 PM on 04/12/2012

Don't remember GWB "spending time in Crowbar College" after his dui.

[ahcrod]

07:46 PM on 04/12/2012

I don't remember Teddy spending any time there after Mary Jo Kopekne was killed!!!

[lilsebastlan]

03:24 PM on 04/12/2012

He will learn if you revoke is license for 5 yrs.

[lentz464]

04:35 PM on 04/12/2012

Can you say.. FAKE ID... Drivers License are easy to get it seems.. I'm not condoning this by any means..but I have 4 sons.. & I've seen all the tricks !!.. They just fake it till they're able to get their license back.. I was blown away at just how many college students have & drive on fake drivers license...much less the general public !! I will say that DWI & DUI are given out a lot more now days.. My boys tell me that the cops video college kids tailgating at the games & then bust them as they're leaving the parking lots on campus.. So, even though I don't agree.. I see why they purchase fake ID's.. They have to drive to work & school & no amount of DUI's or DWI's is going to stop them !!

[octap53]

07:38 PM on 04/12/2012

oh, so your saying it's ok to get fake id,eg breaking the law,so your son or daughter can get a dwi/dui and get away with it? oh yeah, your a great role model parent,the kind i am so glad i didn't have. p.s. ..... with that logic, i hope you have a great time traveling to see your child every weekend in jail in the near future

[lilsebastlan]

07:05 PM on 04/17/2012

FYI tell your poorly raised children that cop cars are now equipped with camera's on them that can read license plates 3 lanes at a time. when your tag is read it notifies the officer your license is suspended. It does this in a matter of seconds. It constantly scans. If it doesn't when cops randomly run your tags like they shouldn't. It will also show license status. GOOD LUCK

[rafo]

01:02 PM on 04/12/2012

I always read DUI, lol i read DMV, or WMD i learn something new today

[wbfl30]

03:17 PM on 04/12/2012

DWI in some states and DUI are the same thing. DWI -driving while intoxicated or DUI- driving under the influence. Same basic meaning. why is that hard to understand?

[lawman823]

05:40 PM on 04/12/2012

W,In NYS, DUI can also mean under the influence of drugs.

[rafo]

06:51 PM on 04/12/2012

nono..it is not hard to understand..i said i learned that today..and that is good DWI is just fine to me..i was just comment...sorry