Yankees' Joba Chamberlain pleads guilty to DUI

[April 02, 2009]  LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain pleaded guilty Wednesday to a Nebraska charge of drunken driving and was given probation.

After a plea deal, prosecutors dropped the second charge of driving with an open alcohol container.

Chamberlain, 23, played for Nebraska in college.

He was pulled over Oct. 18 by police on the outskirts of Lincoln. Authorities say his blood-alcohol level was 0.134 percent. The legal limit in Nebraska is 0.08 percent.

"You probably worked long and hard to get where you are today," Judge Laurie Yardley said before sentencing Chamberlain to nine months' probation. "It takes about 10 seconds to wipe all that out."

Chamberlain nodded and said, "Yes, ma'am," and Yardley told him "don't come back."

He'll also pay a $400 fine, lose his license for 60 days and complete an alcohol education class.

Chamberlain's court date had been rescheduled four times, most recently from Tuesday to Wednesday.

He flew to Nebraska for his hearing in Lincoln after pitching 5 1-3 innings in New York's 6-3 win over Cincinnati on Tuesday during a spring training game in Florida.

Chamberlain declined to comment after the hearing but said he would release a statement.

[Associated Press; By ANNA JO BRATTON]

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