Change Of Venue Request Withdrawn In Sutton Crash

Monday, December 3rd 2007, 11:11 pm

By: News On 6

STILLWATER, Okla.(AP) -- A negligence lawsuit by a Perry woman who was injured in a traffic accident with former Oklahoma State basketball coach Eddie Sutton will remain in Payne County, for now.

Teresa Jean Barnard has withdrawn a motion for a change of venue in her case against Sutton, OSU officials and others.

Barnard filed the lawsuit in August for more than $10,000 in damages resulting from her crash with Sutton's university-owned sport utility vehicle.

Sutton pleaded no contest to aggravated drunken driving after the February 2006 accident in which he wrecked the SUV on the way to the Stillwater airport for a team flight.

Police say he struck Barnard's vehicle, then crashed without braking into a tree. Sutton announced his retirement in May 2006.

In court documents filed Friday, Barnard said she's working to retain an expert to poll the jury pool in Payne County to determine whether she would be prejudiced by a trial there.