Oregon St. quarterback Peter Lalich received a boating DUI Friday on Lake Shasta in northern California Friday, and was booked and even briefly jailed, according to a Shasta County Sheriff's Office incident report.
Beaver students, athletes included, with some regularity have made weekend trips, especially post-midterms, to the popular, and usually warmer, northern California recreation site. In recent years, DUI enforcement on the water has been elevated to the same degree of emphasis as on the highways.
Lalich, the #2 quarterback on the Beavers' depth chart after spring ball ahead of Cody Vaz, has a history of alcohol related issues, having been dismissed from the Virginia program he was the starter for after two alcohol related minor in possession incidents as a juvenile before transferring to Oregon St.
Oregon St. sports information director Steve Fenk said Monday morning that the OSU football program, "is aware'' of the Lalich incident, and is still trying to gather more information.
Lalich, who is now 21, will be arraigned on June 21 at the Shasta County Courthouse.Oregon St. coach Mike Riley was out of town on Monday, but said "We are aware of the situation and once we learn all the facts we will then act accordingly.''
Riley said when Lalich joined the Beavers that he "would suffer the consequences" - probable dismissal from the program - if he "messed up'' again.
Lalich said he was trying to maneuver a houseboat in the Slaughterhouse Island area of Lake Shasta when sheriff's deputies arrived.
"I was just trying to park the boat,'' said Lalich. "What happend was unfortunate.''
If Lalich is removed from the team or suspended, it would leave only Ryan Katz with any college experience at quarterback on the roster, with red shirt freshmen Cody Vaz and Jack Lomax as backups for Katz.