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Reese Witherspoon’s arrest in April during a DUI stop was headline news the world over and instantly tarnished the actress’s girl-next-door image. But she wasn’t even the one driving, and she wasn’t the one the police officer was interested in – not until she began harassing him.
It seems like celebrities are constantly involved in DUIs. A lot of the time, they show you exactly what not to do when pulled over. Here, 8 ways to blow a DUI stop – just like a celebrity.
Tell the police officer everything.
The officer questions you in part to look for evidence that you’re under the influence. You might think answering these questions politely will put an end to the matter, but you’re wrong – this is just the beginning.
The smart thing to do: Be courteous to the officer, but keep your mouth shut. Say you refuse to answer questions until you’ve spoken to a lawyer.
The celebrity thing to do: Tell the officer everything! How many drinks you’ve had, what kind, how you’re feeling, where you’re going, and why you’re in such a rush to get there. Charles Barkley was guilty of oversharing when he was pulled over for a DUI in 2008, and it didn’t help his case at all.
Drive without a driver’s license.
You probably know that it’s a serious problem to drive after your license has been suspended or revoked. You might not know that it’s also a problem if your license is valid but you simply don’t have it with you.
The smart thing to do: Always make sure you’ve got your (valid) driver’s license, car registration, and insurance information in your car when you drive.
The celebrity thing to do: Get arrested for a DUI and compound the problem by having no license (and not wearing a seatbelt), like rapper DMX did this week.
Take the roadside Breathalyzer test.
The Preliminary Alcohol Screening (PAS) test performed on the roadside gives a rough indication of the amount of alcohol in someone’s system. That’s right, rough. These machines can be inaccurate, and test results can hurt your case if it goes to court. You have the right to refuse this test. (However, if you are arrested and taken to the station, you must take the tests administered there.)
The smart thing to do: Politely refuse to take the roadside Breathalyzer test.
The celebrity thing to do: Take the test, like most do. You can also refuse it after yelling at the police officers, like actor Rip Torn did in 2004.
Take the field sobriety test.
In a field sobriety test (FST), an officer may ask you to walk in a straight line or stand on one leg. Again, the officer is looking for evidence that you’re under the influence. This is another test you don’t have to take.
The smart thing to do: Politely refuse to take the FST.
The celebrity thing to do: Take the test and fail. That’s what actress Michelle Rodriguez did when she was arrested in 2005 on a DUI.
Have an open container in the car with you.
Punishment for open container infraction is minor compared to what can happen on a DUI arrest, but it does give the arresting officer more evidence against you. Passengers in the car with an open container can get you in trouble, too.
The smart thing to do: Toss all open containers before driving.
The celebrity thing to do: Keep an open container in the car, like Mel Gibson did when arrested in 2006. This was just days after his famous anti-Semitic rant that permanently dethroned the former A-lister.
Keep your gun hidden.
If you’ve got a concealed weapons permit, that’s fine. You don’t have to tell everyone you meet that you’ve got a gun. But when it comes to being pulled over, things change.
The smart thing to do: As soon as seems reasonable, inform the officer that you have a gun on you. Even better, keep your hands on the steering wheel where they’re visible.
The celebrity thing to do: Conceal your .357-caliber Magnum revolver like Robert Downey Jr. did in his famous 1996 arrest for a DUI, possession of drugs, and speeding.
Forget that alcohol isn’t the only “influence.”
Being on behavior-altering drugs while driving is considered being under the influence, too.
The smart thing to do: Don’t do drugs and drive.
The celebrity thing to do: Think that prescription drugs are okay because they’re medicine; Heather Locklear found that out the hard way in 2008.
Be on your worst behavior.
Being nice to the police officer probably won’t get you off scot-free, but being rude is one of the fastest ways to take a situation from bad to worse. This goes for everyone in the car.
The smart thing to do: Be courteous at all times. Addressing the officer as “Officer” helps, too.
The celebrity thing to do: Ignore the officer’s request to stay in the car, demand to know if the officer knows who you are, and accuse the officer of harassment. If you want to learn from the best, check out the video of Reese Witherspoon’s arrest.
If you don’t want to follow these celebrities’ examples, join a live Q&A session on Avvo’s Facebook page this Thursday, August 1st at 1PM PT! We’re hosting a live chat with California DUI/DWI attorney Jason Beahm of Beahm Law answering consumer questions about DUI law, sobriety checkpoints, and other related situations, as well as busting common DUI/DWI myths many of us still believe to be true. Tune in and get informed: http://on.fb.me/13tTJLh.
IMPORTANT: This is an open forum. DO NOT post any information that could prove incriminating in a case involving you or someone you know.
