David Cassidy (former child star and poster boy for wholesome fun) has just been charged with his third DUI since 2010, and after pleading no contest, he’s been ordered to serve out a 90-day rehab sentence for alcohol abuse.
Pro Tip #1: Call a cab, especially if you’ve been charged with a DUI (or two) in the past. The initial tab to get you home might seem like a big expense, but it will be nothing compared to legal fees and court costs if you are charged with a DUI. Especially now that Uber is wildly available in cities and small downtown areas, finding a safe and legal way home after a night of drinking is easier and cheaper than it was previously.
This is just the latest in a string of celebrity DUIs for the 2014 calendar—who could forget Justin Bieber’s sideshow of a DUI in late January, which left him with multiple, additional charges for resisting arrest, drag racing, and driving without a valid driver’s license.
Pro Tip #2: Keep your license valid…and try to abstain from drag racing through a residential neighborhood in the wee hours of the morning after you’ve knocked a few back. If you do not have a valid license, don’t get behind the wheel. Aside from the DUI charge, you can be facing additional charges, which will drive up your court costs.
Unlike Cassidy, Beiber is pleading not guilty and blames his failed sobriety test on a foot injury he suffered while skateboarding back in October. His trial is set for May 5.
Beiber’s DUI arrest is probably the most publicized since Reese Witherspoon’s drunken antics were broadcast for the world to see last May.
After having, quote, “one too many glasses of wine,” Witherspoon demeaned her arresting officer, slurring, “You don’t know my name?” and “You’re about to find out who I am!” among other entitled outbursts.
Pro Tip #3: Don’t be a jerk. I really can’t stress it enough: Be polite, kind and respectful to the officer that pulls you over under suspicion of DUI. Your future will be much brighter and you may even avoid a night in jail.
As obnoxious as Witherspoon’s behavior was, nothing tops the anti-Semitic and sexist remarks Mel Gibson spit at officers back in 2006 during his infamous DUI arrest.
A true testament to how being polite and remorseful can help you avoid jail time lies in the 2012 case of celebrity chef Cat Cora, who was promptly released after a DUI citation and able to avoid jail time. Shortly after the incident, she stated,
“I learned a very important lesson from this experience and take full accountability for my actions. This will never happen again.”
If you’re stopped for a possible DUI, take a lesson from the celebrity DUI playbook and remember to act polite and respectful at all times. Otherwise, just try not to drink and drive in the first place.
Attorney Matt Thompson represents clients throughout Central Florida, including Daytona Beach, DeLand, Sanford, and Lake Mary. If you have been arrested and charged with a criminal felony or misdemeanor offense, Contact Thompson Law, P.A. to schedule a free consultation today.