ELKHART COUNTY — According to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, an Elkhart basketball coach has seven active suspensions on his driver's license. Police arrested Elkhart Memorial's Mark Barnhizer Friday night after an officer spotted him weaving in and out of traffic without signaling lane movement.

Barnhizer was booked into the Elkhart County Jail on preliminary charges of operating while intoxicated and driving with a suspended license, but police didn't find any alcohol in the coach's system.

"I wasn't impaired, I mean it speaks for itself," Barnhizer told WSBT Saturday after Elkhart Memorial lost to Munster in the regional finals.

Barnhizer said he leaned over to pick up a gallon of milk that fell off the seat just before police pulled him over for weaving in and out of his lane near County Road 6 and State Road 19 Friday night.

"I haven't had a drink in 10 years," Barnhizer said.

Elkhart Memorial Athletic Director Frank Kurth told WSBT Saturday it's an "unfortunate instance."

"Mark has never been a problem for us in any way as far as conduct or substance abuse or anything like that," said Kurth.

He said Barnhizer was taking prescription medication for foot pain stemming from several surgeries. Police said Barnhizer failed a field sobriety test, even though two different tests showed no alcohol in his system.

"It doesn't matter whether it's illegal drugs or prescription drugs," said Elkhart County Police Captain Sean Holmes. "If it affects your ability to multi-task, you can't handle things with your attention divided, you should be able to recognize that and you are not supposed to be operating a vehicle."

But Barnhizer was also booked for driving on a suspended license.

Both the coach and Kurth say it's all a misunderstanding — claiming Barnhizer did not realize his license was still suspended. But police told WSBT the coach gave them a state ID card, rather than a valid driver's license.

BMV Records

Court records show Barnhizer's troubles with the Indiana BMV go back at least 2 1/2 years, with incidents in White, Fulton and Elkhart counties.

According to the BMV, here's a list of his driving offenses: