Former Padres player Matt Bush sentenced for 3rd DUI

Bush to spend 4 years, 3 months in prison

Matt Bush 2009 court

Matt Bush makes a court appearance in 2009.
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Posted: 12/18/2012
Last Updated: 155 days ago

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - Matt Bush, a former infielder/pitcher in the San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays organizations, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison for a drunken driving hit-and-run crash.

As part of a deal with Charlotte County prosecutors, the 27-year-old Bush pleaded no contest Tuesday to driving under the influence with serious bodily injury. Six other counts in the March crash were dropped. Because it's his third DUI, Bush will also lose his license for 10 years. He has already spent nine months in jail.

Bush's attorney, Russell Kirshy, called the deal fair.

Authorities say Bush's blood alcohol level was 0.18 percent -- more than twice the legal limit -- when he hit 72-year-old Tony Tufano's motorcycle and left the scene in North Port, about 40 miles northwest of Fort Myers.

Bush, a standout at Mission Bay High School in San Diego, was drafted by the Padres with the top overall pick in 2004. He was traded in 2009 to Toronto, but was released by the Blue Jays shortly after.

He signed with Tampa Bay in 2010. He was released by the Rays in October.
 

Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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