Honegger might remain in jail

While her former teammates are practicing in hopes of a tournament bid, senior Rachael Honegger is languishing in a jail cell where she might remain for more than two months. \nBloomington police arrested the former women's basketball player, convicted of forgery in October, Sunday for violating the terms of her home arrest. Chief Probation Officer Linda Brady said Honegger made an unauthorized trip to Robinson, Ill., where her fiance, Chad Killinger, coaches at Lincoln Trail College.\nTen days after she had been reinstated from a suspension, coach Kathi Bennett dismissed Honegger from the team Monday.\n"I gave Rachael a second chance, and she did not take advantage of that opportunity," she said in a faxed statement.\nUpon the recommendation of the probation department, Monroe County Prosecutor Carl Salzman is asking the court to revoke her house arrest, of which she had served 27 days. \n"Probation is the grace of the court," he said. "If (Honegger) comes in and says she didn't understand that she did anything wrong and the court is satisfied with it, she might not spend another day in jail. It's between Rachael and the judge."\nHonegger is now being held without bond at the Monroe County Correctional Center until a scheduled April 5 court appearance, which could be moved up.\nSo far, Brady said Honegger's attorney, Edward McCrea, has not appealed the court date.\nMcCrea declined to comment on the case Tuesday.\nHonegger pleaded guilty to forgery last fall, and Monroe County Circuit Judge David Welch sentenced her to three years, suspending all but six months of house arrest. With permission, she was allowed to attend classes, practice and home and away games. \nWelch also ordered her to pay restitution to the Ellettsville grocery store at which she worked. During two summers of employment, Honegger made several money orders out to herself, totaling more than $13,000. \nUpon learning of her January sentencing, IU President Myles Brand suspended Honegger while a committee investigated the matter. After she sat out for five games, Brand reinstated her for the senior night game Thursday against Illinois. \nHonegger had since played in three games, most recently Friday's 81-76 loss to Iowa in the Big Ten tournament in Grand Rapids, Mich. The Hoosiers now have a week off before receiving either an NCAA or WNIT tournament berth.\nBrady said Honegger had been given permission to leave for the weekend, if IU was still in the tournament. Upon returning, Brady said the 22-year-old, fifth-year senior had disappeared for more than 24 hours.\nWelch issued a warrant for her arrest, and Brady said authorities took her into custody an hour after she returned Sunday. Before the arrest, Honegger had 71 days left to serve on her sentence.\n"We allow people to leave for emergencies," Brady said. "If your mother died, you could attend her funeral. But you couldn't just take off to visit your mother."\nBrady said Honegger told her home detention officer she thought she had permission for the trip. But Brady said Honegger hadn't notified the probation department.\nHonegger averaged 4.7 points and 3.4 rebounds a game this season and finished her career with 179 steals, fourth on the Hoosiers' all-time list. Honegger and her fiance have a 1-year-old child, who is now being cared for by Honegger's parents.