Florida Panthers

Former Florida Panthers Coach Andrew Brunette Arrested in Deerfield Beach

Published

2 years ago

February 1, 2023

Florida Panthers interim coach Andrew Brunette, center, gives instructions during overtime of the team's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 11, 2022. — AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar — BSO mug shot

Former Florida Panthers interim head coach Andrew Brunette was arrested in Deerfield Beach on Wednesday morning under the suspicion of DUI and taken to the main Broward County Jail.

According to his arrest report through the Broward Sheriff’s Office, Brunette has been charged with DUI after being stopped on a golf cart after running two stop signs upon leaving a bar in Deerfield.

According to the Sun-Sentinel, a deputy was issuing Brunette’s golf cart a ticket for illegal parking when he observed Brunette leaving a bar in Deerfield Beach.

Per the report, Brunette was “unsteady on his feet and talking with slurred speech.’’

Brunette left the bar with his wife after getting the ticket handed to him with his wife telling him “not to drive because the police were still there.”

A little while later, Brunette was in the golf cart with the deputy seeing him run the stop signs. Brunette apparently drove the golf cart across county lines into Boca Raton where he lives before being stopping.

Brunette, who was in jail on a $500 bond, refused a field sobriety test.

Brunette, 49, first joined the Panthers as one of Joel Quenneville’s first assistant coaches and ended up replacing Quenneville as the team’s coach last October when Quenneville was forced to resign

Under Brunette, the Panthers won the Presidents’ Cup with the best record in the NHL and won their first playoff series since 1996.

The Panthers moved on from Brunette — who finished second in voting for NHL Coach of the Year — following the season, hiring Paul Maurice instead.

While the Panthers made it clear they would have liked the popular Brunette to return as one of Maurice’s assistants, he signed on with the New Jersey Devils a few weeks later.

Brunette is currently associate head coach under Lindy Ruff with the Devils.

The Devils are currently on break due to the All-Star Game which is being held in Broward County.