Gary Pinkel, the former head football coach at the University of Missouri, has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated with a recommended fine of $1,000 to be imposed plus related court costs.
The DWI charge stems from an incident on July 7, 2025, in Camden County after he summoned a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper to help him with a blown-out tire. According to court documents, the trooper noticed that Pinkel was slurring his speech, had abnormal pauses and stutters, and smelled of an intoxicating beverage.
The misdemeanor DWI charge was filed against Pinkel on Thursday in Camden County Circuit Court.
Pinkel submitted a written guilty plea Friday, and the state is recommending a fine of $1,000 and combined court costs of $346.50.
Shortly after the July 7 incident last year, Pinkel faced the loss of his driver’s license and sued the state director of revenue to keep the license. His attorney immediately submitted a motion to stay the revocation of his license until the court could deliver a ruling.
The judge granted the stay, and resolution of the case was then delayed for nearly a year of legal procedure while Pinkel retained possession of his license.
A hearing was held Monday in that case before Camden County Circuit Judge Michael Gilley, and Pinkel’s attorney indicated he would be ending the lawsuit after the former coach's guilty plea was accepted.
Under Missouri law, Pinkel's plea will be forwarded to the Missouri Department of Revenue, which determines points on a driver's record after a court conviction.
A DWI conviction adds eight points to a driver's record. Accumulating eight points within 18 months typically results in a 30-day license suspension followed by a 60-day restricted driving period.
Pinkel pleaded guilty to an earlier DWI charge in 2011 after he was pulled over just before the final home game of the season against Texas Tech in Columbia. He admitted to drinking two “jumbo” glasses of wine after failing multiple field sobriety tests, according to previous Missourian coverage.
He pleaded guilty Nov. 18, 2011, and was put on two years’ probation. He resigned as football coach at the end of the 2015 season after a lymphoma diagnosis.