AMHERST – Austin Whipple, a student assistant coach and son of UMass head football coach Mark Whipple, was arrested Saturday night after crashing his car into a tree in Amherst.
Whipple, 22, was arrested at 11:59 p.m. near the intersection North Pleasant and East Pleasant streets. According to the dispatch narrative from the Amherst Police, a field sobriety test “indicated impairment,” and Whipple registered a blood alcohol level of .24. The legal limit in Massachusetts is .08.
Whipple faces charges operating under influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle to endanger and failure to stay within marked lanes, according to police. According to the registry of motor vehicles, he had no prior vehicular offenses.
UMass athletic director Ryan Bamford released a statement:
“Massachusetts Athletics will have no comment. Austin will be subject to the University student code of conduct and the legal system.”
Whipple, who began his playing career at Penn State, played two seasons for the Minutemen, but a shoulder injury forced him to end his playing career. He is in his first year working as a student assistant coach while completing his degree.
Whipple could face discipline from the UMass Dean of Students office in addition to any legal charges or athletic department punishment.
Whipple was not at practice Monday, but according to Mark Whipple, he’ll resume his unpaid student assistant coach duties on Tuesday.
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com.