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How the extreme DUI guilty decision may affect Oilers goalie Nikolai Khabibulin

Image (1) Bulin-thumb-250x166-14273-thumb-250x166-14274.jpg for post 15073

In case you haven’t heard already, Nikolai Khabibulin was found guilty of the following charges.

  1. Driving under the influence of alcohol (with a BAC level above .08 percent).
  2. An extreme DUI
  3. Excessive speeding

Although the sentencing hearing hasn’t been determined just yet, it is certain that Khabibulin will face at least 30 days in prison for his bad judgment. Keep in mind, though, that such a penalty is the minimum punishment for the Russian goalie’s convictions.

The question is, what are some of the other possibilities that might result? Let’s take a look at the legal ramnifications first, according to this article from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal.

  • His maximum sentence is a whopping six months in jail.
  • He could serve time in the notorious Arizona correctional facility known as “Tent City.” That’s a place in which inmates eat substandard food and face considerable embarrassment as punishment for their indiscretions.

Let’s not forget some of the other legal headaches that most people would consider “peripheral.” (Source: Travis Hughes of SB Nation.)

  • He might have to pay over $2,000 worth of fines.
  • The state of Arizona might require him to do some community service.
  • I’ll let the document Hughes cited do the talking for this punishment.

Shall be required by the department, on receipt of the report of conviction, to equip any motor vehicle the person operates with a certified ignition interlock device pursuant to section 28-3319. In addition, the court may order the person to equip any motor vehicle the person operates with a certified ignition interlock device for more than twelve months beginning on the date of reinstatement of the person’s driving privilege following a suspension or revocation or on the date of the department’s receipt of the report of conviction, whichever occurs later.

Finally, let’s not forget the possible hockey repercussions. Matheson points out that Khabibulin would miss at least two weeks of training camp. While it’s far fetched (especially if the sentence is only for a month), the Edmonton Oilers may even attempt to use the “morals clause” in Khabibulin’s albatross contract to make his deal go away.*

* - There will most likely be more on this subject later.

So, again, we don’t have the dates in which his punishment will be revealed yet. That being said, this enormous headache keeps getting worse for the Oilers. Khabibulin’s judge simply owns the power to decide whether this will be a “migraine” or a “nuclear meltdown” for Edmonton.

What an ugly, ugly situation. Stay tuned for more on this subject soon.