Terrapins men’s basketball assistant coach Dalonte Hill began an indefinite leave of absence yesterday, the athletic department announced.
Court records show police arrested Hill just before 9 p.m. Sunday in Laurel on five charges, including driving under the influence of alcohol, attempting to drive a vehicle while impaired by alcohol, attempting to drive a vehicle while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance, attempting to drive a vehicle while impaired by drugs or alcohol and failure to control vehicle speed on highway to avoid collision.
The arrest is Hill’s third involving a DUI since 2008. He was arrested in 2008 while an assistant at Kansas State and again in January 2012 during his first season working under coach Mark Turgeon.
“At this time, it is in my best interest to take a leave of absence from the Maryland basketball program and focus my attention on some personal matters,” Hill said in a statement.
Hill is regarded as a stout recruiter locally and was formerly head coach of D.C. Assault, a Washington-based Amateur Athletic Union program, in the early 2000s. Terps guard Roddy Peters and center Damonte Dodd both played for D.C. Assault in the past, and guard Melo Trimble, a prized recruit in the class of 2014, also plays for the team.
Hill is best known for recruiting Washington-area star Michael Beasley to Kansas State in 2006. Hill was then reportedly the highest-paid assistant coach in the country, earning more than $400,000 a year.
Turgeon hired Hill in 2011 after taking over the program. Hill is still on staff and there is no timetable for his return.
“We will support him through this process,” Turgeon said in a release. “We want him to focus on his personal life. Basketball is secondary at this point. His primary focus needs to be on his health and well-being.”
