Bowden pays fine, warrants recalled
Published 11:30 am Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Former Auburn and North Alabama head football coach Terry Bowden left the state in December to become head coach of the Akron Zips.
But before he made the move to Ohio, Bowden, 54, zipped through Butler County and picked up a couple of tickets along the way.
According to court documents, Bowden was ticketed July 5 in Georgiana for improper tag and speeding. He was clocked at 60 mph in a 30 mph zone. After failing to pay the fines totaling $537 and missing a Sept. 1 court date, two warrants were issued for Bowden’s arrest.
The coach, who led Auburn to an undefeated season in 1993, paid the fine Wednesday morning via credit card, according to Butler County Circuit Clerk Allen Stephenson.
“We have lifted the recall on the warrants,” Stephenson said. “He has cleared the cases with us.”
In a statement from the University of Akron, Bowden says he got the ticket in July and just forgot to pay it until receiving a notice in the mail.
As a result of the unpaid fines, Bowden’s license was suspended on Oct. 27. It will have to be reinstated by the Department of Public Safety, according to Stephenson.
Bowden is a member of one of the most famous and successful college football coaching families. His father, Bobby Bowden, turned Florida State into a national champion and his 389 collegiate wins ranks second in Division I history.
His brother Tommy Bowden had an 18-4 record in two seasons as head coach at Tulane and a 72-45 record in 10 seasons as head coach at Clemson, taking the Tigers to eight bowl games. His brother Jeff Bowden also has 25 years of collegiate coaching experience, working at Salem, Samford, Southern Mississippi, Florida State and most recently at North Alabama as one of Terry Bowden’s assistants.