UK players Jones, Poole involved in crash that leads to team curfew

Coach John Calipari said he imposed a curfew on the University of Kentucky men's basketball team even though no team rules were broken when two players — guard Stacey Poole and forward Terrence Jones — were involved in a car accident early Friday.

"Because of the actions of a select few, this team has showed me an inability to make proper judgment and decisions that they've been given the freedom to make," Calipari said on his Web site. "Therefore, going forward, this team will now have a curfew for the rest of the season."

According to police and Calipari, Poole and Jones, both sophomores, were involved in a car accident at Euclid Avenue and High Street. Both sustained minor injuries.

The driver of the other vehicle, Scott M. Roseberry, 22, was charged with DUI and having no insurance, according to the Fayette County jail.

Jones did not start in Friday night's 108-58 win over Marist. He entered the game at the 13:30 mark. Poole's status on the team has been uncertain for more than a week, and he did not dress for the Marist game. Calipari has said Poole is deciding whether he wants to transfer from UK.

The curfew will be 11 p.m. during the week and midnight on weekends. Calipari and Jones both spoke about the incident after the game.

"Honestly, I take full responsibility for being out late. I really let down my team by making us have curfew," Jones said.

Roseberry was driving a car when he swerved into the lane of a sport-utility vehicle carrying Jones and Poole about 2:30 a.m., according to The Associated Press. The car struck the SUV's passenger side door and pushed the SUV into a parked Camry.

Jones said the car in which he was riding was driven by Larry Warren, who attended the same high school as Jones in Portland, Ore.

Jones was riding in the front, at the point of impact, he said. Jones said he was in pain on his right side, but "I just tried to fight through it because I had to play."

Addressing rumors, Jones said: "When it comes to me drinking and all that other stuff, none of that is true. If they have cameras or pictures, or whoever says they seen it, really, if they got it, then I want to see it, because I know for a fact I wouldn't do that."

Police said late Friday that the accident report with that and other details would not be available until Monday. Court files also were not available Friday, with officials saying the paperwork would not be accessible until early Saturday.

Calipari said on his Web site that Poole and Jones were struck by a vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road, and the driver of the "oncoming vehicle" was charged. Police spokeswoman Sherelle Roberts could not confirm Friday whether Roseberry's vehicle was "oncoming" as described in Calipari's message.

Poole was treated at a hospital and released. Jones, Calipari said, left the scene of the accident out of fear of an altercation with the driver of the other vehicle, but Jones said that was untrue. Jones said he left the scene, mostly concerned about Calipari hearing about the accident, but he said he called UK assistant coaches and let them know what he was doing. Jones was later questioned by police and treated at a hospital for minor injuries.

Roseberry, the driver of the car, was released about 7:50 a.m. from the Fayette County Detention Center after posting a third-party bond, according to the jail.

No one in the players' vehicle was charged with any wrongdoing, Calipari said. No evidence of drugs or alcohol was found.

Calipari said his first concern was for the safety of Poole and Jones. Nevertheless, the incident led to a curfew.

"We hold our players to a higher standard at Kentucky," Calipari said on his Web site. "They must learn that they've been placed in a leadership role and that every action defines this team, this state and its fans. As always, any additional punishment will be handled within the team."

This story was originally published November 12, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "UK players Jones, Poole involved in crash that leads to team curfew."