SDSU’s Kalbach Arrested as DUI Suspect

Bart Kalbach, a center on the San Diego State football team, has been arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol in connection with a weekend accident that has left him bedridden with a fracture of the spine near the neck.

It is too early to tell if Kalbach’s injuries will result in permanent paralysis from the neck down, said Debbie Gelbart, a spokeswoman for St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix. Gelbart said Kalbach, who was listed in critical condition Tuesday night, has had difficulty breathing and has intermittently needed a respirator since Monday morning.

Kalbach was arrested at the scene of the accident near Winterhaven, just over the Arizona border, officer Don Billdt of the California Highway Patrol said Tuesday.

“There was the distinct odor of alcohol on his breath, and his eyes were red,” said Billdt, reading from the accident report.

Billdt said that because of the seriousness of Kalbach’s injuries, a sobriety field test could not be administered but that Kalbach was arrested based on officer observations. Kalbach, 22, was taken to Yuma Regional Medical Center, then was transferred later to Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s.

Kalbach was alone in his 1985 pickup truck heading westbound on Interstate 8 at about 11:40 p.m. Friday when he swerved onto the right-hand shoulder, police said. Kalbach, who was traveling at an undetermined speed, tried to steer back onto the highway but lost control, causing the truck to roll several times. He was thrown and landed on the shoulder. No other vehicles were involved in the accident.

Billdt said the drunk driving report would be forwarded to the Imperial County district attorney’s office for possible prosecution.

Dave Ohton, SDSU weight coach, visited Kalbach in the hospital Monday. He said Kalbach told him he was returning from a fishing trip on the Colorado River when he fell asleep at the wheel and that when he woke up, the truck was out of control.

Kalbach, a junior from Biggs, Calif., has been the center on the SDSU punt team for the past two seasons.