LITTLE ROCK — The state trooper who transported Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino to a Fayetteville hospital after his motorcycle wreck says he kept his superiors fully informed of his actions and took no part in investigating the accident that also involved a female football program employee.
Arkansas State Police released a narrative of Capt. Lance King’s report on the events surrounding the aftermath of Petrino’s wreck with 25-year-old passenger Jessica Dorrell and concluded the trooper broke no laws or state police policies.
The report came as Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long’s review of Petrino continued. The coach was placed on administrative leave after admitting Dorrell, who he hired for a position on May 28, was on the back of his motorcycle. Petrino also confessed to a “previous inappropriate relationship.”
In the report, King, a 24-year state police veteran, said he was running an errand when he received a call from Troop L Sergeant Gabe Weaver, who informed him of a motorcycle accident in the Madison County community of Crosses. Weaver told him the rider had departed the scene, but that a check of a license number provided to a state police dispatcher by a witness showed the owner as Petrino.
King called Petrino’s cell number and left a message asking him to return the call if he needed assistance. An unidentified female returned the call a few minutes later, King said, and told him Petrino was hurt and asked him if he could meet them at a parking lot in Fayetteville to take the coach to a hospital.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
King contacted his supervisor, Highway Patrol Maj. Les Braunns, and informed him of the situation. The trooper said when he arrived at the parking lot, he observed a woman helping Petrino out of a Jeep Cherokee. He said he assisted the coach into the front seat of his state police cruiser.
“This white female had blond hair and I think was dressed in jeans,” King wrote in his report. “She showed no sign of any injuries. I had never seen this person before in my life.”
Petrino had visible injuries and was covered with scrapes and cuts and had blood and swelling around his face and head, King wrote. The coach was complaining of neck trouble, though he was barely able to speak and mostly just groaned, he said.
He said he started driving to Washington Regional Medical Center, but Petrino told him to go instead to Physicians Specialty Hospital.
During the short drive, King said, Petrino mostly groaned in pain and said nothing about the accident except that a gust of wind blew him off the road.
“Coach Petrino asked if passenger information was required and I said that all we need to know is the passenger’s name and address,” King said. “I told him that we had been getting phone calls from people who had said there was a passenger on the rear of the motorcycle and if we didn’t get a name, the report would state unidentified white female. I didn’t ask him the name and he didn’t ask me to keep her name off the report. I knew he would be interviewed shortly.”
King said after the conversation he called his supervisor, Maj. Braunns, who instructed him to allow other troopers to interview Petrino without King present.
On Wednesday morning, King was called to state police headquarters in Little Rock to brief State Police Director Col. J.R. Howard and others on the investigation.
When he returned to Fayetteville, he received a call about 6:30 p.m. from Weaver, who along with Trooper Josh Arnold had interviewed Petrino at the Broyles Complex. King said Weaver described Petrino as cooperative and forthcoming.
“Sergeant Weaver said that Coach Petrino walked them down the hallway at the Broyles Complex and introduced them to the passenger, who was identified as Jessica Dorrell, who was also interviewed,” King wrote in his report.
King called Petrino about 2:50 p.m. Thursday to let him know that the state police accident report would be released that afternoon. Long said Petrino informed him at approximately 3:12 p.m. that Dorrell was on the back of his motorcycle.
“At no time did I fail to provide information to my supervisor or involve myself in the accident investigation,” King wrote. “I do not know Jessica Dorrell and I have never met her. Coach Petrino and I did not discuss any passenger information during transport to the hospital or otherwise. I have a professional relationship with Coach Petrino and have never met with him or his family socially.”
The coach’s attorney, Russ Campbell, said Monday “Petrino is cooperating fully” in Long’s investigation and added “for now, it is in their hands.”
Meanwhile, approximately 200 Arkansas fans met on campus to participate in a rally supporting the coach Monday night.
The “Team Save Coach Petrino” group began on Facebook after Petrino was placed on administrative leave. Matt Couch, a 2000 Arkansas graduate and one of the group’s organizers, said it was important Petrino knew he had support despite mistakes.
“We’re not condoning it,” Couch said. “I wouldn’t ask him for marriage counseling. But at the same time we’re supportive of him and want him to do well.”
The turnout wasn’t close to the group’s Facebook participation (approximately 1,800), but Couch said “we’re still making noise and that’s what we want.”
Supporters in attendance wore Razorback red and white T-shirts, cheered and Called the Hogs in support of Petrino. One big white sign read “Accept Apology and Forgive. Jesus Saved Bobby … Jeff … You Can Too.”
Fayetteville resident Sylvia Schleger, who made the sign, said she was “very sad” about what has occurred. But she was still standing by Arkansas’ coach.
“I know that if he had the last few weeks, months — I don’t know how long this has been going on — but if he had to do it over again I’m absolutely sure he wouldn’t have gone along this past,” Schleger said. “All of us are human. We all make mistakes. We all do things we wish we hadn’t done. …
“He’s asked for forgiveness. It’s time to move on in my opinion.”
But both Couch and Schleger couldn’t say their support would be the same if the Razorbacks were struggling under Petrino. Arkansas has won 21 games the past two seasons, its best two-year run since the 1980s.
“If they won seven games (in 2011), would we be saying the same thing? Probably not,” Couch said. “There’s probably a chance we wouldn’t even be having this rally because that decision would’ve already been made.”