You’ve heard it said that “you can run but you can’t hide.” Well, it’s true, particularly when you’re referring to a criminal charge, like DUI, involving a celebrity defendant. One way or another, the media will find you. Whether it’s TMZ, just a local reporter scouring the police blotter, or a “friend” who decides to sell the story to a tabloid, there truly is no place to hide.
The celebrities include actors, sports figures, and some people – like Paris Hilton, for example – who are simply famous for . . . well . . . being famous! Now not all these cases have reached a conclusion, and everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but we thought you might find it interesting to look at some of the more notable DUI defendants thus far in 2014:
- Billy Unger, star of Disney’s sci-fi teen comedy series Lab Rats, was arrested in Malibu, California and charged with DUI. Police say his BAC was 0.08, just enough to arrest an adult for drunk driving. Unger, however, was just 18 at the time, and was therefore subject to California’s “zero tolerance” law for underage drinking and driving.
- Rapper Chief Keef was arrested for DUI in Highland Park, Illinois. Reports indicate that when we was arrested, Keef had just spent some time in rehab. The cops say he exhibited signs of impairment from drugs, and charged him accordingly. A news report from late August says that Keef missed his court date, and that a warrant had been issued for his arrest. We don’t know whether the warrant, or the case, has been resolved as of this date.
- In March, Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts, was pulled over and arrested for DUI in Indiana. He entered a guilty plea this week. In addition to his court case, he was fined $500,000 and suspended for six games by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
- Justin Bieber was charged with DUI in Miami at the beginning of this year. Last month he pled guilty to careless driving and resisting arrest (lesser charges, to be sure), but the plea agreement requires Bieber to get anger management counseling, and attend a drunk driving impact program.
- Also arrested for DUI early this year was former teen idol David Cassidy. He was charged in Los Angeles, and the arrest was his third since 2001.
As for other celebs in years past, you’ve no doubt seen the reports on Mel Gibson, Keifer Sutherland, Nicole Richie, Mike Tyson, and a host of others, all of whom have been arrested at one time for DUI.
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