May 18, 2012
Marijuana Use Grows, Cocaine Falls Among Arrestees
Cocaine use is down but marijuana use continues to grow among men arrested in 10 U.S. cities, according to a federal drug-monitoring program's annual report. Marijuana was the most commonly used illegal substance, the 2011 Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Annual Report (ADAM II) says. In Sacramento, Minneapolis, Chicago and Charlotte, N.C., 50 percent or more of arrestees tested positive, not significantly different from 2010, but continuing an upward trend from 2000, it said. Sacramento saw the highest use at 56 percent, and highest growth, up from 46 percent since 2009. Read more...
Notorious 1980s Drug Dealer Busted
A notorious drug dealer who got his start during the crack epidemic of the 1980s and was so good at hiding his whereabouts that he was known as "the ghost" has been arrested along with dozens of others on new charges, police and prosecutors said. James Corley, 51, was charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance and other drug charges after a 15-month undercover investigation that used wiretaps and surveillance, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said. Read more...
May 17, 2012
Mary Kennedy Found Dead in New York
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s estranged wife, Mary Kennedy, who had fought drug and alcohol problems, was found dead in her home. Attorney Kerry Lawrence, who had represented her in a drunken-driving case, said he didn't know the cause of her death at age 52. Police confirmed a body was found on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s property in Bedford, north of New York City. Mary Kennedy had had trouble with drugs and alcohol and had two high-profile arrests around the time her husband filed for divorce in July 2010. Read more...
May 16, 2012
Colorado House Passes Bill on Marijuana DUIs
A bill setting a blood standard for THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, has cleared the Colorado House and is pending in the Senate. Marijuana activists are fighting the proposal that passed the House Tuesday because they say blood THC tests are an unfair gauge of impairment. Sponsors of the bill say more drivers are using marijuana and the state needs a marijuana analogy to the accepted blood-alcohol limit. Read more...
James Koenig Arrested on Assault, DUI Charges
James Koenig, the father of slain barista Samantha Koenig, was arrested early Tuesday morning on charges including assault and DUI after he allegedly left an Anchorage strip club and drove drunk, threatening an employee who tried to stop him. APD spokesperson Lt. Dave Parker says Koenig faces charges of third-degree assault -- a felony -- as well as fourth-degree misconduct involving weapons, DUI and refusal to take a breath test. Read more...
May 15, 2012
Prosecuting for Spice DUI Proves Difficult
Prosecuting drivers under the influence of synthetic cannabinoid products, or spice, is proving a challenge because changes in the drug are outpacing the crime lab's ability to test for it. Spice is a chemical drug that is constantly evolving. Every time one version becomes illegal, producers alter it slightly, making it legal again. The changes make testing for the drug moot. Read more...
May 14, 2012
Polo Tycoon Goodman Sentenced to 16 Years
Polo tycoon John Goodman was sentenced to 16 years in prison and a fine of $10,000 by a Florida judge for the drunk driving death of 23-year-old Scott Wilson. Goodman's Bentley slammed into Wilson's Hyundai and sent it into a nearby canal in Wellington, Fla., in February 2010. Wilson, an engineering graduate, was strapped into the driver's seat and drowned. Goodman, 48, also made headlines by adopting his girlfriend in an attempt to preserve part of his fortune for her while negotiating a civil suit settlement. Read more...
Amber Portwood Back in Jail for Missed Drug Test
Amber Portwood, a star of MTV's reality show "Teen Mom," is reportedly back in a jail after missing a court-mandated drug test. The reality star claimed she was recovering from a laparoscopic gallbladder surgery which preventing her from making the appointment because she was ordered to say in bed for 2-3 weeks. But when prosecutors contacted her doctor, he reportedly said did not order the bed rest and that Portwood was well enough to attend the test. Read more...
May 12, 2012
Lions' Leshoure Pleads Guilty to Drug Charge
Lions running back Mikel Leshoure pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of misdemeanor possession of marijuana Friday at the Berrien County District Courthouse. He paid $575 in fines and will be required next May to show proof of compliance with a treatment program that is being conducted through the NFL. Leshoure was cited by Baroda-Lake Township police for possession of marijuana March 12 in Bridgman, after a rented SUV he was a passenger in was pulled over on I-94. Since he was cited for possession of marijuana for the second time in a month, the second-offense charge from March 12 was a felony. Read more...
May 11, 2012
Raiders' Receiver Heyward-Bey Charged With DUI
Authorities say Oakland Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey has been charged with misdemeanor drunken driving following his arrest last month after a traffic stop on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. California Highway Patrol Officer Tony Tam says Heyward-Bey was driving his 2012 Range Rover on the lower deck of the bridge on April 7 when he was pulled over by a CHP officer who saw him speeding and weaving. Tam says the 25-year-old Heyward-Bey was arrested after failing a field sobriety test. Read more...
May 10, 2012
Ex-Miss USA Sentenced in Drunk Driving Case
Two years after becoming the first Arab-American to be named Miss USA, Rima Fakih has been sentenced to community service and probation for a drunken driving charge in Michigan. Fakih, 26, avoided any jail time by pleading no contest to driving while visibly impaired on the night of her arrest in December in Highland Park, a suburb of Detroit. Judge William McConico gave her six months' probation and 20 hours of community service while ordering her to pay $600 in fines and court costs. Fakih also has to undergo a mandatory alcohol safety class and a victim impact class. Read more...
Amanda Bynes to Lose Driver's License?
Another Amanda Bynes hit and run? Oh yeah. The former child star allegedly sideswiped another vehicle on Friday night while driving through Hollywood. When she didn't stop, the other driver called police and followed her. Six cop cars and a helicopter finally caught up to the actress who claims to have not noticed that she hit the other vehicle. Officers believed her story, noting that the damage was so minimal it's possible she didn't feel the bump. Read more...
Thomas Kinkade's Death Ruled Overdose
An autopsy has found that artist Thomas Kinkade's death was caused by an accidental overdose of alcohol and prescription tranquilizers. The Santa Clara County medical examiner concluded that the self-described "Painter of Light" stopped breathing at his Northern California home on April 6 from a combination of alcohol and Valium. His brother has said Kinkade battled alcoholism and relapsed before his death. Read more...
May 08, 2012
'Lost' Star Matthew Fox Arrested for DUI
Actor Matthew Fox, star of the television series "Lost," has been charged with drunken driving in Oregon. Police in Bend say the 45-year-old who lives in the Central Oregon city was stopped after an officer noticed a motorist failing to signal properly or stay within a lane of traffic. During the stop, the officer decided Fox was driving under the influence and took him to the Deschutes County Jail. Read more...
May 07, 2012
Singer Jake Owen Arrested on Alcohol Charges
Jake Owen had himself quite the Cinco de Mayo. Late last night, the country star was arrested in Vero Beach, Fla., and while it's not exactly clear what he did wrong, it likely had something to do with alcohol. "Whats the big deal about Cinco De Mayo," he tweeted at one point in the day. "I've been drinking my ass off Everydayo of Mayo." In subsequent tweets, the "Alone With You" singer detailed a series of events that culminated with him in police custody. Read more...
Clemson Star Watkins Arrested on Drug Charges
Clemson All-American receiver Sammy Watkins was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and a controlled substance. Watkins and soccer player Amadou-Tidiane Daniel Dia were stopped by university police after an officer saw the car scrape a curb and the temporary license tag was not lit. The police report said an officer smelled marijuana in the car and a subsequent search found two pills for which Watkins did not have a prescription. Read more...
May 04, 2012
Feds Break Up Major Florida-Based Drug Theft Ring
A Florida-based crime ring that stole at least $80 million worth of prescription drugs, including one of the nation's biggest heists in Connecticut in 2010, has been broken up following a three-year undercover FBI probe, federal authorities said. A total of 22 people were charged by federal authorities in New Jersey, Connecticut and Miami, where the group was based, Miami U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer said. The thieves hit warehouses and stole tractor-trailers around the country, often from highway rest stops, and brought the drugs to South Florida and New Jersey in an attempt to sell them. Read more...
Notre Dame Starting QB Rees Jailed
Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees was pepper-sprayed and arrested early Thursday after he allegedly ran away from an off-campus party and knocked the wind out of a police officer who caught up to him. A probable cause affidavit said the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Rees continued to resist even after being knocked down by police officer Brandon Stec, so Stec used pepper spray and was finally able to subdue him with the help of other officers. Rees, 19, was charged with one count of battery, two counts of resisting law enforcement and one count of illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor. Read more...
May 03, 2012
Wiz Khalifa Busted For Marijuana in N.C.
It's no secret that Wiz Khalifa is a marijuana enthusiast, but his love of pot has gotten him in trouble again. Wiz was ticketed for possession of marijuana after officers discovered 11.39 grams of weed upon a search of Khalifa and his tour bus on Tuesday night in North Carolina. The Pittsburgh MC was "cited and released," the site reported, but he's required to appear in court at an unspecified later date.
May 02, 2012
'Oil Can' Boyd Tells ESPN He Used Crack Every Day
Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd told ESPN that he used crack cocaine every day of the 1986 season while with the Boston Red Sox, including one day in Oakland when he smoked in the clubhouse before a start and had the drug in his cap while on the mound. In an interview with ESPN's Buster Olney that appeared in an episode of "E: 60" the former pitcher said teammates knew of his drug use and he even spoke of it with team doctor and minority owner Arthur Pappas. Boyd said in the interview that he never was administered a drug test. Read more...
May 01, 2012
Number of US Newborns With Drug Withdrawal Triples
Disturbing new research says the number of U.S. babies born with signs of opiate drug withdrawal has tripled in a decade because of a surge in pregnant women's use of legal and illegal narcotics, including Vicodin, OxyContin and heroin, researchers say. It is the first national study of the problem. The number of newborns with withdrawal symptoms increased from a little more than 1 per 1,000 babies sent home from the hospital in 2000 to more than 3 per 1,000 in 2009, the study found. More than 13,000 U.S. infants were affected in 2009, the researchers estimated. Read more...
Bobby Brown: I Didn't Get Whitney Houston Into Drugs
Whitney Houston's ex-husband Bobby Brown wants to make one thing clear: He's "not the reason" she's gone. The Roxbury bad boy sat down with "The Today Show" host Matt Lauer and declared he never used narcotics until Whitney came into his life. "I didn't get high (on hard drugs) before I met Whitney," Brown said. "I smoked weed, I drank the beer, but no, I wasn't the one that got Whitney on drugs at all." He added that Whitney was familiar with drugs "way before" they became a couple. Read more...
Natalie Wood's Daughter Arrested on Drug Charges
Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner's daughter, Courtney Wagner, was arrested for coke and heroin possession after police received a report of a gunshot at her Malibu home. Police were called to the home of 38-year-old Wagner last Sunday after a woman's screams were heard, followed by a gunshot. No one was injured. However, when police arrived they found Wagner in possession of cocaine and heroin and arrested her on suspicion of felony drug possession, the website said. Wagner has since posted $10,000 bail. Read more...
April 30, 2012
Drunk Reports Car Stolen From Passenger Seat
A man who reported his car stolen – only to be found, soon after, in the car's passenger seat – was "highly intoxicated" when he dialed 911 and set in motion events that would get both him and his buddy arrested, according to Seattle police. Police responded to the area and quickly found the Audi – along with the car's owner (also known as the "victim," also known as the 911 caller), sitting in the passenger seat. Read more...
April 27, 2012
Wiz Khalifa Arrested for Marijuana Possession
Wiz Khalifa was hit with a citation for misdemeanor possession by Nashville police after the rapper (real name Cameron Jibril Thomaz) was caught lighting up in his Holiday Inn room Saturday. According to The Tennessean, Khalifa, 24, and his pal Lonnie Howard, 27, were having a fun game of puff-puff-pass when fellow residents at the hotel complained about a strong marijuana odor coming from their room. Read more...
Brandon Meriweather Arrested on Suspicion of DUI
Washington Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather was arrested Thursday morning in Arlington, Va., on suspicion of driving under the influence, Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck confirmed. Meriweather was traveling westbound on Interstate-66 when he was pulled over at 2:54 a.m. Police detected an odor of alcohol on Meriweather's breath, Sternbeck said. Meriweather refused a breathalyzer test and failed a field sobriety test. Read more...
Ryan Leaf Declared Fugitive From Justice
On the night when Andrew Luck, the quarterback out of Stanford, was scooped up by the Indianapolis Colts as the year's top draft pick, a former high-profile draft pick, Ryan Leaf, was declared a fugitive from justice in Texas. Authorities in Texas issued two arrest warrants for Leaf's arrest. The Texas prosecutor who brokered a 10-year probationary sentence for Leaf two years ago on drug and burglary charges filed a motion to revoke Leaf's probation earlier this month. Read more...
April 26, 2012
L.A. Airport Screeners Arrested on Drug Charges
Two security screeners at Los Angeles International Airport have been arrested on drug trafficking and corruption charges, accused of taking bribes to allow large narcotic shipments through the airport, authorities said. The pair were arrested along with two former airport screeners. Authorities said the screeners allowed drugs to pass through x-ray machine checkpoints in five incidents in exchange for payments of as much as $2,400. Read more...
Bobby Brown Gets Plea Deal in DUI
Singer Bobby Brown was sentenced to three years' probation and a day in Los Angeles County jail after pleading no contest to misdemeanor driving under the influence in connection with his drunk-driving arrest last month, prosecutors from the city attorney's office said. Brown will not have to serve time because he gets credit for time served. He also was fined $390 and must attend a 90-day alcohol education program. The singer was arrested March 26 near Victory Boulevard and Wilbur Avenue after a California Highway Patrol officer pulled him over for talking on his cellphone. He later failed a field sobriety test, authorities said. Read more...
April 25, 2012
Scarface's Chi Chi busted for DUI
One of the actors of the '80s Miami epic Scarface is in a bit of a jam. Angel Salazar, who is best known for playing Chi Chi, Tony Montana's "colleague,'' was arrested for DUI in Brooklyn last week. Cops spotted Salazar, 56, swerving in his 1999 Volvo and pulled the actor over. According to the police report, he smelled of alcohol and blew a .121 on a breathalyzer, well over the .08 limit. The comedian was later released on bail. Read more...
April 24, 2012
Demi Lovato Confesses to Cocaine Use
Demi Lovato has added drug use to the long list of demons that led to her downward spiral in 2010. The former Disney star reveals in a new interview with Fabulous magazine that loneliness and depression led to her first use of cocaine. "It's something I don't really want to talk about," the 19-year-old star told the magazine. Read more...
April 23, 2012
DEA Busts 'The Farmer's Market' for Drug Sales
Federal, state, and international law enforcement authorities have arrested eight people who all face federal drug trafficking and money laundering charges stemming from their creation and operation of a "secret" on-line narcotics market place – known as the "The Farmer's Market" – which sold a variety of controlled substances to approximately 3,000 customers in 34 countries and 50 states. Read more...
Civil Rights Leader Arrested for Drugs
Carl O. Snowden, civil rights chief for the Maryland attorney general's office, was charged in Baltimore District Court with marijuana possession the same day he announced a voluntary leave of absence from his job — according to online court records. He was under court supervision for a drunken-driving conviction at the time of the arrest, and could face 60 days in jail if Anne Arundel County prosecutors pursue a probation-violation charge against him. Read more...
April 20, 2012
Van Halen Blames Father for Alcoholism
Eddie Van Halen puts some of the blame on his father for his long struggle with alcohol. In the May issue of Esquire, the Van Halen guitarist said "the whole alcoholism thing" developed when he asked his dad how to combat his nerves when playing music in front of people. His father gave him a shot of vodka and a cigarette to ease his nerves, and that started Van Halen on a near lifetime of drinking. Read more...
April 19, 2012
Cocaine Overdose 'Antidote' in the Future?
The potential effects of a cocaine overdose can be devastating – including stroke, seizure, kidney failure and even death. But now, a cocaine "antidote" could soon be available for emergency scenarios. Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Cali., have come up with an injectable solution that has been shown to reverse the effects of cocaine overdose in mice. After success with their experiments thus far, the researchers are eager to move on to human clinical trials – and potentially develop a viable treatment. Read more...
Crack Cocaine Ring Busted -- at Sober House
Police have arrested a Connecticut man accused of running a crack cocaine operation out of a sober house. Police said they received several tips that Khalil Hipps, 31, of Norwich, was running a drug operation out of the Liberty House, a transitional sober house on Washington Street in Norwich, and selling drugs on the street. Read more...
Court Upholds Drugged Driving Charge
Michigan's medical marijuana law doesn't shield people from charges if they are caught driving after using the drug, the state appeals court ruled Wednesday in another significant decision involving the 2008 voter-approved law. A three-judge panel sided with the Grand Traverse County prosecutor in northern Michigan by restoring a criminal case against Rodney Koon, a medical marijuana user who was stopped in 2010 for exceeding the speed limit by nearly 30 mph. He admitted smoking marijuana six hours earlier, and a blood test revealed the drug in his body. Read more...
April 18, 2012
Court Weighs Revisions in Cocaine-Case Sentences
The Supreme Court heard arguments about an aspect of one of the greatest controversies in American criminal law: the differing treatment of crack and powder cocaine. Crack and powder cocaine are two forms of the same drug. But, until recently, a drug dealer selling crack cocaine was subject to the same sentence as one selling 100 times as much powder. Read more...
April 17, 2012
Bobby Brown Pleads Not Guilty to DUI
Singer Bobby Brown pleaded not guilty to three misdemeanor charges related to driving under the influence, a spokesman for the city attorney's office said. Brown, 43, formerly married to the late pop diva Whitney Houston, was pulled over March 26 in Reseda after he was spotted talking on his cellphone. After taking a field sobriety test, he was arrested and charged. He faces charges of driving under the influence, driving with a blood-alcohol level above 0.08% and driving with a suspended license, according to prosecutors. Read more...
April 16, 2012
Ryan Leaf Formally Charged With 4 Felonies
Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf has been formally charged with four felonies on accusations that he broke into an acquaintance's home to steal prescription painkillers, then robbed a second home two days after being released from jail. Cascade County Attorney John Parker charged Leaf with two counts of burglary and two counts of criminal possession of a dangerous drug. Read more...
April 13, 2012
Attorney Jennifer Little Arrested for DUI
Attorney Jennifer Little, recently hired by the widow of Dunwoody day care shooting victim Rusty Sneiderman, was arrested morning and charged with suspected DUI, speeding and reckless driving. Little was traveling northbound on I-85 near Buford Highway around 12:30 a.m. when she was stopped by Atlanta police, who clocked her at 91 mph -- 36 mph over the speed limit. The former DeKalb County prosecutor refused field and chemical sobriety tests. Read more...
April 12, 2012
No Foul Play in Whitney Houston Case
Police have concluded their investigation into Whitney Houston's death in a Beverly Hills hotel bathtub, determining that the singer's pre-Grammy Awards death did not involve foul play. Lt. Mark Rosen, a spokesman for the Beverly Hills Police Department, said investigators based their decision on the coroner's findings that the singer's death was due to accidental drowning and, in part, the result of cocaine ingestion and a heart condition. Read more...
Al Unser Jr. Convicted of Second DUI in Five Years
Maybe legendary race car driver Al Unser Jr. thought he saw a raised checkered flag in the dead of night on that lonely stretch of New Mexico freeway: Speeds were high, discretion apparently tossed to the wind. But with his second DUI conviction in less than five years, it's Unser's reputation that's now seemingly a bit more checkered. The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated and drag racing, charges that stemmed from a September incident near Albuquerque, authorities say. Read more...
Ex-Miss USA Fakih Reaches Plea Deal in DUI
Rima Fakih, the first Arab-American to be crowned Miss USA, pleaded no contest in a Michigan drunken driving case. The former beauty queen offered the plea to driving while visibly impaired. A no contest plea isn't an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing, which will take place May 9. She faces a maximum of 93 days in jail. Fakih, 26, has said she wasn't drinking the night of her arrest in December, but two police breath tests put her blood alcohol content at over twice the legal limit. Read more...
April 11, 2012
James Belushi Caught With Weed by TSA
James Belushi got into trouble for flying with a marijuana cigarette. The 'Cougars, Inc' actor landed on the island of Martha's Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts but Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials found the drug on him. James tried to use his California medical marijuana card to validate having the joint with him, but was told it was worthless in the state. The cigarette was confiscated by the authorities and James was let off with a warning. Read more...
April 10, 2012
Ketamine Users Risk Urinary Problems
Users of the drug ketamine, known by the street name 'special K,' face an increased risk of urinary and bladder control problems and abdominal pain. The more ketamine they use and the more often they use it, the greater the chance of developing urinary tract issues, a British study has found. Read more...
KU Running Back Sims Arrested for DUI
Kansas running back James Sims was suspended for the first three games of the Jayhawks' 2012 season by coach Charlie Weis following an arrest for operating a vehicle under the influence. According to Douglas County records, Sims was picked up by KU campus police after 2 a.m. in the 1300 Block of Jayhawk Boulevard. Sims, 20, posted $500 bond and a municipal court date has been set for April 25. Read more...
April 09, 2012
Amanda Bynes Arrested for DUI
After colliding with a police car early Friday morning, Amanda Bynes was arrested for driving under influence. According to the West Hollywood Sheriff's Department, "a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy in a marked black and white radio car, was stopped at the intersection when a black BMW driven by actress Amanda Bynes attempted to pass the right of the radio car, colliding with the right rear quarter panel of the radio car." Read more...
April 06, 2012
Loren Woods Charged With DUI
Former NBA player Loren Woods was arrested on DUI charges in Tampa, Fla., according to authorities. Jail records show 33-year-old Woods refused a blood-alcohol test when he was arrested and later released on $2,500 bail. According to the NBA's website, he played for six years, including a brief stint with the Miami Heat. Woods was charged with a misdemeanor DUI and a felony count of bribery of a public servant. Read more...
4 TCU Players Formally Charged With Pot Delivery
Three more TCU football players have been charged with felony marijuana delivery after a six-month sting. Defensive tackle D.J. Yendrey, linebacker Tanner Brock and offensive tackle Ty Horn are among 14 people charged Thursday in the TCU drug investigation, bringing the total number charged to 23. All three are charged with delivering a quarter-ounce to five pounds of marijuana. Read more...
April 05, 2012
Former WWE Star Maven Arrested on Drug Charges
Retired wrestler Maven Huffman has been arrested in Florida after allegedly visiting three doctors to score multiple pain medication prescriptions. The former Surreal Life star was taken into custody on Monday (02Apr12) after cops discovered Huffman had allegedly been doctor shopping for Oxycodone and Hydrocodone prescriptions, which is illegal without full-disclosure. Read more...
Extent of Whitney Houston's Cocaine Use Revealed
Whitney Houston was submerged in bathwater for nearly an hour before a personal assistant found her dead in the Beverly Hilton Hotel, an autopsy report said. The report provided new details on the death of the 48-year-old singer who died of a combination of heart trouble and cocaine ingestion, the Los Angeles County coroner's office said in a 41-page final report. Read more...
April 04, 2012
Lions Nick Fairley Arrested for Marijuana Possession
A third member of the Detroit Lions' 2011 draft class is facing drug charges, after defensive tackle Nick Fairley was arrested today in Mobile, Ala. Fairley, a first-round pick out of Auburn last year, was cited for second-degree possession of marijuana, after he was pulled over following a citizen complaint that his Cadillac Escalade was speeding through a Mobile neighborhood frequently, Mobile police information officer Ashley Rains said. Read more...
April 03, 2012
Braves Reliever Martinez Arrested for DUI
Braves reliever Cristhian Martinez was arrested in Gwinnett County on charges of DUI, after allegedly weaving in and out of a lane and traveling at a low speed on I-85, confirmed Gwinnett County police spokesman Corporal Jake Smith. Martinez was pulled over at 2:42 a.m. on I-85 North at Steve Reynolds Boulevard for failure to maintain a single lane by a Gwinnett County police officer who clocked Martinez traveling 40 mph. The officer smelled alcohol on Martinez's breath, Smith said, and put him through a field sobriety test. Martinez's blood alcohol registered .13 in a breathalyzer administered at the Gwinnett County jail, Smith said. Read more...
Lions' Mikel Leshoure Facing Felony Marijuana Charge
Lions running back Mikel Leshoure is facing a felony charge of possession of marijuana in Berrien County District Court after a March traffic stop, his second drug-related offense in less than a month in the county. Leshoure, who missed his rookie season in 2011 with a torn Achilles tendon, was the passenger in a rented 2012 Mitsubishi Endeavor SUV that was pulled over March 12 while heading westbound on I-94 in Bridgman, according to a Baroda-Lake Township Police case report. Read more...
April 02, 2012
Woman in Vodka "Rape" Ad Files Lawsuit
A actress from Los Angeles is suing the makers of Belvedere Vodka after the firm allegedly used her image without permission in a controversial ad that appears to show a woman about to be date-raped. The ad shows a shocked Alicyn Packard trying to get away from the clutches of a man, with the tagline, "Unlike Some People, Belvedere Always Goes Down Smooth". Packard, who says she never gave Belvedere producers Moet Hennessy USA permission to use her picture, is suing the company for negligent infliction of emotional distress and misappropriation of likeness. Read more...
Former NFL Quarterback Ryan Leaf Arrested
Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf, once a Heisman Trophy finalist and San Diego Chargers first round draft choice, was arrested in his hometown of Great Falls, Montana, on theft and drug charges, authorities said. Leaf was arrested on Friday on suspicion of felony burglary and drug possession as well as a misdemeanor theft charge, authorities said. Read more...
March 30, 2012
5 Georgia Players Facing Suspension
Apparently, the University of Georgia athletic department decided to drug test members of the school's football team immediately following spring break. They may now be regretting that decision. Although the university has yet to confirm the reports, as many as five players face suspensions due to failed test, including two starters. Read more...
Lindsay Lohan's Legal Woes End After 5 Years
Lindsay Lohan will not be appearing in court anymore if she continues to obey the law, a Los Angeles judge told her after ending the actress' supervised probation on shoplifting and drunk-driving convictions. The hearing put an end to Lohan's five years of criminal court appearances that saw the actress bounce in and out of rehab and jail for violating her probation. L.A. County Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner declared "she did it," in announcing Lohan had completed 480 hours of community service at the county morgue and undergone dozens of therapy sessions. Read more...
March 29, 2012
New Pseudoephedrine Is Meth-Resistant
A Missouri pharmaceutical company is developing a new form of allergy and cold medication that law enforcement officials say could be a game changer in the fight to curb the illicit manufacture of methamphetamine. The new drug Tarex, to be marketed under the name Releva, cannot be used to make meth, the company claims. Read more...
Pamela Anderson Okay With Sons Experimenting
Former "Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson wrote about her desires for her young ones to "learn to eat right," "honor their instincts," "never bully" and… "We want them to practice safe sex, drink and experiment with drugs in moderation, find true love," the post continued. Read more...
March 28, 2012
Three DUI's in Three Weeks for Florida Teen
A teenager arrested on DUI and drug charges three times within 17 days was ordered held without bail shortly after another judge released her on bail. Circuit Judge Denise Pomponio revoked bail for Kimberly McCarthy, 18, on felony drug charges. McCarthy was arrested February 24 on charges of driving under the influence and possession of Xanax, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. McCarthy said she was high on marijuana each time she was stopped but wasn't drunk. Read more...
Dennis Rodman Broke, Struggling With Alcoholism
Former Chicago Bulls star Dennis Rodman is struggling alcoholism and flat broke, his lawyer said in court documents filed in Rodman’s on-going divorce case. Rodman’s ex-wife claims in court papers filed this month in the Superior Court of Orange County, Calif., that the former basketball star owes her $808,935 in unpaid child support for the couple’s two children — ages 9 and 10 — as well as $51,441 in unpaid spousal support, tmz.com reported. Read more...
March 27, 2012
Pot Linked to Trayvon Martin Suspension
Trayvon Martin had been suspended from school for marijuana when the unarmed teenager was shot to death by a neighborhood watch volunteer, a family spokesman said. Martin, 17, was suspended by Miami-Dade County schools because traces of marijuana were found in a plastic baggie in his book bag, family spokesman Ryan Julison said. Martin was shot Feb. 26 by George Zimmerman while he was visiting Sanford with his father. Read more...
Bobby Brown Arrested for DUI
Whitney Houston's ex-husband Bobby Brown spent a few hours behind bars Monday after his arrest in connection with DUI, police said. Brown, 43, was pulled over in Los Angeles' Reseda neighborhood about 12:20 p.m., when cops spotted him driving while talking on a cell phone without using a hands-free device. Officers conducted a field sobriety test, which Brown allegedly failed, police said. Read more...
March 26, 2012
Red Sox Pitcher Jenks Apologizes Over DUI
Red Sox pitcher Bobby Jenks has apologized for "distractions" caused by his arrest in Florida on charges of driving under the influence. He was arrested after a sheriff's deputy saw his SUV driving erratically in Fort Myers, Fla. Jenks was released on bail. An arrest report says Jenks told the deputy he took "too many muscle relaxers." The deputy said Jenks was shaking uncontrollably and had a difficult time speaking. Read more...
March 24, 2012
Man Gets 10 Years for DUI
A judge has sentenced a 22-year-old Champaign man to 10 years in prison for a drunken driving crash that nearly killed a 1-year-old boy. Judge Chase Leonhard sentenced Montrell Davis for his conviction on aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol. Davis also was convicted of obstructing justice for lying to police about who was driving. Davis' attorney asked for probation. But in handing down the sentence, the judge criticized Davis, saying he's "unable to admit he did anything wrong." Read more...
El DeBarge Drug Charges Dropped
R&B star El DeBarge will not face charges for his arrest for drug possession earlier this week. The singer was busted by officers in Encino, California and was released on $30,000 bail. The police caught DeBarge and another man in a hand-to-hand narcotics transaction and he was charged with possession with intent to sell. According to official Los Angeles Distict Attorney documents, the case was dropped due to insufficient evidence. The papers say police never gave DeBarge and the other man involved in the transaction a reason for a search, which resulted in them finding a small bag of rock cocaine hidden underneath a nearby car. Read more...
March 23, 2012
Whitney Died From Drowning, Heart Disease, Cocaine Use
The Los Angeles County Coroner ruled that the final cause of Whitney Houston's death was drowning, as well as from effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use. According to Chief Medical Examiner Anthony T. Hernandez's report, there was no foul play involved in the Feb. 11 death of Houston. She was found submerged in a bathtub filled with water at the Beverly Hills Hilton just hours before she was due to perform at Clive Davis' Grammy Party. Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey says the results indicated Houston was a chronic cocaine user. Read more...
March 22, 2012
Singer El DeBarge Arrested on Drug Charge
Grammy-winning singer El DeBarge, who has struggled with substance abuse, was arrested in Encino on suspicion of drug possession with intent to sell, department officials said. Undercover narcotics officers were conducting an investigation near White Oak Avenue and the 101 Freeway when they spotted the singer and another man acting suspiciously, said LAPD spokeswoman Norma Eisenman. Officers recovered narcotics from an area where DeBarge had been standing, Eisenman said. Read more...
Mike Sorrentino Finally Admits Drug Problem
"Jersey Shore" star Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino confirmed he is in a drug rehab program "to get control of a prescription medication problem I had due to exhaustion." A statement was posted on the reality-TV personality's official website, after denying online reports that he checked into rehab in Utah. "I have voluntarily taken steps to get control of a prescription medication problem I had due to exhaustion," his statement said. "I have spent the past several weeks getting treatment for this problem and recuperating from my work and appearance schedule." Read more...
March 21, 2012
Fraternity Sued by Parents Over Teen's Drinking Death
The parents of a 19-year-old student who died after binge drinking at a party in Texas have filed suit against a Baylor University fraternity and the bar that hosted the event. Megan Helal was a freshman and volleyball player at Navarro Junior College and was dating a Sigma Chi fraternity member at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, at the time of her death in March 2010. According to the lawsuit, Helal went to a party at Mynar's Bar with her boyfriend to celebrate his fraternity's newest members. Read more...
Meth Mom Sentenced to 6 Years
A 27-year-old California woman, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter after her 5-month-old son died from her methamphetamine-tainted breast milk, has been sentenced to six years in prison. Maggie Jean Wortman could have faced up to 11 years for the death of her infant son. Read more...
March 20, 2012
Ex-Model Recaptured for Hollywood-Based Meth Ring
An Australian bikini model and Penthouse Pet accused of running a worldwide drug ring was arrested last week after nearly a month on the lam. Authorities found Simone Farrow hiding at a motel on Queensland's Gold Coast. Farrow, the former face of Ed Hardy swimwear, is accused of trafficking crystal meth around the world, often hiding the drugs in bags of bath salts. She was first arrested in 2009, after the Drug Enforcement Agency raided her Los Angeles apartment and found drugs and incriminating documents Read more...
Brooke Mueller Plea Deal: No Jail Time
Charlie Sheen's ex was arrested in December and charged with felony possession of cocaine under 4 grams, felony possession with intent to distribute, and misdemeanor assault. In exchange for a guilty plea, Aspen, Colo., prosecutors have agreed to drop the last two charges. Additionally, the mother of twins will serve no time. Instead, she will spend the next 12 months on probation with a deferred judgment. Read more...
March 19, 2012
E.R. Docs Don't Recognize Fake Pot Symptoms
As use of synthetic versions of marijuana such as "K2," "Spice," and "Blaze" becomes more common, a growing number of teens are showing up in hospital emergency rooms where physicians are unfamiliar with symptoms caused by the dangerous substances, says a new report. A blend of plant and herbal materials that have been sprayed with chemicals, synthetic marijuana "is still a relatively new drug, and when we started seeing cases, we realized there was very little information available in the medical literature," says Joanna Cohen, an emergency medicine physician. Read more...
March 17, 2012
Invisible Children Founder Arrested
San Diego police say Jason Russell, a co-founder of activist group Invisible Children and one of the creators of the "Kony 2012" video, was detained in Pacific Beach after he was allegedly found masturbating in public and possibly under the influence of alcohol. Police say they received calls reporting that a man running through traffic and screaming, while in "various stages of undress." Officers say when they arrived on the scene the film maker was cooperative. Read more...
March 16, 2012
Constable Arrested on Federal Drug Charges
An East Texas constable arrested on federal drug and firearm charges has appeared before a federal judge in Tyler. The U.S. Attorney's office says authorities arrested Benjamin Thomas Ferrell of Henderson, one week after his indictment. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith Guthrie Thursday afternoon. Read more...
March 15, 2012
Baby Found After High-Speed Police Chase
A suspected drunk driver was arrested after leading Los Angeles police on a high-speed chase with a baby inside his pickup truck, authorities said. The chase ended when one of the California Highway Patrol cars rammed the male suspect's vehicle in a PIT maneuver on the freeway's off-ramp, video of the incident shows. After the unnamed suspect exited the vehicle and surrendered to police, officers found the infant inside the truck in a child seat. Read more...
Bullpen Catcher Suspended 7 Days for DUI
The Mets say bullpen catcher Eric Langill has been suspended without pay for seven days after being charged in a drunken driving accident Sunday in central Florida. The Mets said in a release that Langill would also be required to seek counseling through the Employee Assistance Program. The 32-year-old Langill was arrested Sunday night after losing control at a traffic circle, crashing into a concrete fountain and flipping his car. Read more...
March 14, 2012
Child, 4, Attacked by Pit Bulls at Meth House
Deputies in central Florida say a 4-year-old girl is recovering days after being bitten by two pit bulls at a home used to make methamphetamine. Osceola County Sheriff's deputies found the girl with injuries to her face, back and head that required more than 50 stitches. Deputies say the child's mother, 29-year-old Desiree Schultz, was arrested on child neglect charges because she didn't report the child's injuries. Read more...
Mom Arrested After Daughter, 11, Pulled Over
Norfolk police say a 32-year-old woman was arrested after she had her 11-year-old daughter drive her and two friends after a night of drinking. A Madison County jailer said Jennifer Etgen, of Tilden, remained in custody. Police Chief Bill Mizner says an officer saw a pickup driven by the girl almost hit a curb. Read more...
Man Jumps Off Bridge to Avoid DWI
A Louisiana man reportedly leaped off a bridge during a traffic stop in an attempt to avoid his eighth arrest on drunken-driving charges. Thomas Robert Harter, 44, of Folsom, La., was arrested on charges of DWI, resisting arrest and careless driving after leaping 20 feet into Lake Pontchartrain during a traffic stop on the Causeway bridge. Read more...
March 13, 2012
Eric Langill Charged With DUI
New York Mets bullpen catcher Eric Langill was arrested by the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office and charged with driving under the influence with property damage, a misdemeanor, according to a county arrest affidavit. General manager Sandy Alderson said Langill spent the night in jail but has since posted bond and been released. Langill's white Honda Accord crashed into a concrete fountain in the center of a traffic circle and flipped over. Langill tried to leave the scene on foot but was "kept there" until law enforcement arrived, the report stated. Read more...
Georgia CB Branden Smith Faces Suspension
Georgia starting cornerback Branden Smith was arrested for marijuana possession on his way to the beach for spring break, police and Georgia coach Mark Richt confirmed. Smith was pulled over near Headland, Ala.,on U.S. Highway 431 for following too closely and having a tag light out. An officer detected the odor of marijuana in the 2007 Dodge Charger Smith was driving and a bag of marijuana was discovered under a seat during a search of the vehicle, according to police. Read more...
March 12, 2012
Bill Proposes $100 Bounty on Drunk Drivers
State Sen. Robert Calderon, a Montebello Democrat, has proposed legislation that would give tipsters $100 if they report a drunken driver who is convicted. And for a little poetic justice: Calderon would have the court order the drunken driver to pay the reward. "By engaging civilians to report drunk drivers, this bill would directly and immediately lower the number of roadway deaths," Calderon said about the bill. "Killing or injuring someone as a result of drunk driving is a horrendous crime that can easily be avoided. This bill is one step closer to ensuring that our roads and highways are safe from drunk drivers." Read more...
March 10, 2012
Man Sentenced for 25 DUIs in 3 States
A Virginia Beach man who racked up at least 25 arrests for drunken driving in several states has been sentenced to seven years in prison. A judge sentenced 39-year-old Tracy Michael Decker to seven years. Decker is also banned from driving for 20 years after DUI arrests in Virginia, Alabama and Georgia. Read more...
Tight End Prospect Orson Charles Gets DUI
Former Georgia tight end Orson Charles was arrested for drunken driving early Friday morning, police said. Charles, a 2011 AFCA All-American rated by ESPN Scouts Inc. as the 38th-best prospect overall and No. 2 prospect at tight end in this year's NFL draft, was charged with driving under the influence and impeding traffic flow by Athens-Clarke County Police after being stopped at approximately 3 a.m. Charles submitted to sobriety tests, registered a .095 blood alcohol level and was arrested for DUI. Read more...
March 09, 2012
Pro Golfer Rachel Connor Arrested for DUI
Sheriff's deputies say they caught two professional athletes — golfer Rachel Louise Connor and Ryan Patrick O'Shea, a minor league player with the Baltimore Orioles — driving drunk on Siesta Key. The arrests occurred several hours apart. Connor had been at a restaurant and nightclub. O'Shea had been drinking at the public beach on Siesta. Read more...
March 08, 2012
Video Captures Wrong-Way Ohio Driver
A wrong-way interstate driver slammed into a car full of sorority sisters on spring break about one minute after an Ohio trooper received a report about the errant driver, according to dashboard camera video released by the State Highway Patrol. The footage shows the wrong-way driver seconds before the crash that killed the driver and three of the Bowling Green University students on Interstate 75 south of Toledo. The early morning crash also left two other students in critical condition. Read more...
Pat Robertson Endorses Legalized Marijuana
Of the many roles Pat Robertson has assumed over his five-decade-long career as an evangelist - including a voice of the right wing - his newest guise may surprise his followers the most: marijuana legalization advocate. "I really believe we should treat marijuana the way we treat beverage alcohol," Robertson said in an interview on Wednesday. "I've never used marijuana, and I don't intend to, but it's just one of those things that I think: this war on drugs hasn't succeeded." Read more...
Demi Moore Looks Frail After Rehab
A haunted-looking Demi Moore steps off a plane — the first time she has been seen in public since rehab. The frail Ghost actress, 49, was in the Bahamas after being treated for exhaustion, substance abuse and an eating disorder. She stepped off the swish private jet with close friend Eric Buterbaugh after it touched down in Los Angeles at the weekend. Read more...
March 07, 2012
Navy to Give Breathalyzers to Sailors
The U.S. Navy will start giving Breathalyzer tests to Marines and sailors reporting for duty aboard ships and submarines and at squadrons, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced Monday in a worldwide call to forces. The testing is part of a new 21st Century Sailor and Marine initiative -- a multi-prong program aimed at reinforcing healthy lifestyles both on and off-duty. The program emphasizes healthy lifestyles through nutrition, responsible alcohol consumption, zero tolerance for drug use and fitness programs as well as suicide prevention, family and personal preparedness and financial planning. Read more...
Reality Star Tila Tequila Hospitalized
Tila Tequila is facing a serious health scare. The reality TV personality reportedly suffered a brain aneurysm that led her to take two bottles of unspecified heavy prescription drugs to ease the pain. However, the drugs she took nearly cost her life, and she had to be hospitalized for two weeks due to overdosing. "Tila threw up all over her bed after overdosing and felt like she was dying. She was screaming for help, and in desperation, broke her bedroom window and attempted to jump out," a source told Radar Online. "Finally a friend came over after getting a strange text from her and found her convulsing on the bed. He called an ambulance and she was taken to the hospital." Read more...
March 06, 2012
Bullies More Likely to Be Substance Users
School officials who are developing anti-bullying programs and policies may also want to incorporate substance abuse prevention measures for those students who are identified as bullies or victims of bullies. That is because those students who are bullies or bullied in middle school are more likely to be substance users in high school. Read more...
1 Dead in Nursing Home Meth Lab Fire
A fire chief in northeast Ohio says a drug lab in the room of a nursing home resident has caused a fire that killed one person and injured six others. Ashtabula fire Chief Ron Pristera says the man died following the fire at Park Haven Nursing Home. He says the lab was making methamphetamine. Pristera says the man was among three residents and two non-residents hospitalized. Two other people were treated at the scene. Read more...
Marijuana Charge Against NFL's Leroy Hill Dropped
The attorney for free agent linebacker and Georgia native Leroy Hill says charges of marijuana possession in Atlanta have been dropped. Hill and a woman were arrested Feb. 25 at his condominium in Atlanta. Police with scent dogs were responding to calls of a marijuana smell. Officers said they confirmed the smell, obtained a search warrant and found partially smoked blunts and marijuana residue inside Hill's residence. The Tacoma News Tribune reports that in a court hearing Monday, Hill's charges were dropped. Hill's lawyer, Edward T. M. Garland, says urine tests taken after the arrest came up negative. Read more...
March 05, 2012
Rockies Pitcher Alex White Arrested for DUI
Rockies pitcher Alex White, 23, was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. White was arrested by Scottsdale police at about 9:15 p.m. and released from jail at 10:50 p.m. He spoke with Rockies management and addressed his teammates this morning, apologizing for the incident. White addressed reporters early this afternoon at the Rockies spring training complex at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Read more...
March 03, 2012
Demi Moore: From Rehab to Vacation?
Actress Demi Moore has checked out of an exclusive rehabilitation center in Utah and is now on vacation at an undisclosed location, sources told E! Online. Moore checked into the Cirque Lodge facility in Sundance, Utah, in early February after she was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital semi-conscious and convulsing on Jan. 23, having allegedly smoked an illegal substance. It is believed 49-year-old Moore was smoking illegal K2 spice, a synthetic cannabis, prior to being hospitalized. Read more...
'Five-0's' O'Loughlin Out for Drug Treatment
Hawaii Five-O will be without its top star for a brief time. Alex O'Loughlin, who plays central character Steve McGarrett, will miss at least one episode of the CBS drama while taking a leave to seek prescription drug treatment. "Alex is taking a short break from Hawaii Five-O to receive supervised treatment for prescription pain medication due to a recent shoulder injury," his representative said. Read more...
March 02, 2012
Doctor Accused of Murder in Drug Overdoses
A California doctor under investigation for overprescribing drugs has been charged with murder in the deaths of three of her patients. Dr. Hsui-Ying "Lisa" Tseng was arrested Thursday after a lengthy probe which involved undercover work by drug enforcement agents who posed as patients to obtain prescriptions from her. Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley says Tseng is accused of second-degree murder and other crimes in the deaths of three men in their 20s, one of them a University of Arizona student. Read more...
March 01, 2012
Meth Head Charged for Burning Iconic Tree
Florida cops have busted a 26-year-old meth head they believe set a massive brush fire that burned down one of the oldest trees in the United States last month, according to local reports. Sara Barnes, 26, of Winter Park, was arrested and charged with setting the blaze that destroyed a 3,500-year-old bald cypress, known as "The Senator," at Big Tree Park in Longwood, north of Orlando, last month. Read more...
Lindsay Lohan Says Partying 'Not Her Thing'
Lindsay Lohan says the partying just doesn't appeal to her anymore. In an interview with Today's Matt Lauer, Lohan says, "That's not my thing anymore. I went out, actually, a few months ago with a friend. And I was so uncomfortable. Not because I felt tempted, just because it was just the same thing that it always was before. And it just wasn't fun for me. I've become more of a homebody. And I like that." Read more...
February 29, 2012
Rodney King Gets House Arrest for Reckless Driving
Rodney King has been sentenced to 20 days of house arrest and fined $500 for misdemeanor reckless driving in Southern California. The 46-year-old King was arrested in Moreno Valley seven months ago for investigation of drunken driving. But Riverside County prosecutors say his blood-alcohol reading was 0.06 percent, which is below the 0.08 legal threshold. He also had a trace of marijuana in his system. Read more...
February 28, 2012
Nate Collins Arrested on Drug Charges
Jaguars defensive lineman Nate Collins was arrested for marijuana possession in Warrenton, Virginia. Collins, a former University of Virginia player, spent the last two seasons in Jacksonville and will be an exclusive right's free agent this offseason. He played in 12 games in 2011 registering a half a sack and one pass defended. Collins was pulled over by a Virginia state trooper for illegal window tint, the officer noticed the smell of marijuana coming from the car and "found a duffle bag with marijuana joints in the trunk." Read more...
Leroy Hill Arrested for Marijuana Possession
Free agent linebacker Leroy Hill was arrested by police in Atlanta for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. According to a statement from Atlanta police on Monday, Hill was arrested early Saturday after officers were called to an Atlanta condominium following a complaint about a marijuana odor. Officers say they confirmed the smell, obtained a search warrant and found partially smoked blunts and marijuana residue inside. Read more...
February 24, 2012
Rays Outfielder Jailed on Drug Charges
Former Rays outfielder Elijah Dukes was arrested after he tried to eat a plastic bag of marijuana and had marijuana blunt tucked behind his ear, police said. The 27-year-old Tampa man was pulled over in his orange 2011 Chevrolet Camaro after he committed a traffic violation, an officer wrote in an arrest report. Police said after the pulled Dukes over, they noticed a small bag of marijuana on his lap. He then tried to dispose of the marijuana by sticking it in his mouth as if he was going to ingest it. Read more...
Dad Who Let 9-Year-Old Drive Gets Probation
A Detroit-area man who allowed his 9-year-old daughter to drive him around because he had been drinking was sentenced to two years of probation. Shawn Weimer pleaded guilty in December to second-degree child abuse and allowing an unlicensed minor to operate a motor vehicle. Weimer was arrested Oct. 8 when police pulled over his van and found the girl behind the wheel. Surveillance video from a Brownstown Township gas station shows the 39-year-old bragging about his daughter's driving skills. Read more...
Pirates President Facing DUI Charges
Pittsburgh Pirates president Frank Coonelly faces four drunken driving-related charges after an incident on Dec. 22 in suburban Pittsburgh. Police in Ross Township, Pa., charged Coonelly, 51, with one count each of drunken driving, driving the wrong way, careless driving and driving with a blood-alcohol content of at least twice the state's legal limit of .08. Read more...
Brooke Mueller Charged With Felony Possession
Brooke Mueller has been formally charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. The charges stem from her arrest in Aspen Colorado on December 2nd last year. Prosecutors have filed one count against the troubled ex-wife of Charlie Sheen, for possessing more than four grams of cocaine, which could land her in prison for up to six years. Read more...
February 23, 2012
Officer Sentenced for Evidence Room Drug Thefts
A veteran New Jersey police officer has been sentenced to three years in state prison for stealing cocaine from an evidence room under his control. Albert Annuzzi, who took the drugs for personal use, must serve at least two years of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for parole. He also forfeited his pension and will be barred from public employment in New Jersey. Read more...
Drug Test Cost Dodgers' Ronald Belisario a Season
Back with the Dodgers after a yearlong absence, reliever Ronald Belisario said Wednesday that he was prevented from entering the United States last year because he tested positive for cocaine. The positive drug test also resulted in a 25-game suspension issued by Major League Baseball that Belisario will serve at the start of the upcoming season. Read more...
DUI Charges Against Hines Ward Dropped
Prosecutors in DeKalb County, Ga., dropped drunken driving charges against Steelers receiver Hines Ward after he pleaded guilty to reckless driving. Ward also pleaded no contest to failure to maintain his lane. Judge Stacey Hydrick sentenced him to a year of probation, 80 hours of community service and alcohol evaluation and treatment, if it is recommended. He also must participate in a risk reduction program. Read more...
February 22, 2012
Lindsay Lohan's Probation Nears End
Lindsay Lohan's probation should end next month, clearing the way for the actress to revive her acting career possibly playing Elizabeth Taylor in a made-for-TV movie. Lohan appears in court Wednesday for a judge to check her progress, but she's gotten glowing probation reports for the last two months. Lohan's "on the home stretch" to completing her 480 hours of community service -- most of it cleaning up at the Los Angeles County morgue -- on schedule next month, her publicist Steve Honig said. Read more...
February 21, 2012
Woman Charged With DWI Going 100 MPH
A Leicester woman was charged with felony death by motor vehicle and driving while impaired after city police determined she exceeded 100 mph before a fatal wreck last month. The charges against Sarah Elizabeth Morris, 27, stem from a Jan. 16 accident in which her passenger, 30-year-old Michelle Crabtree, died at the scene of the single-vehicle wreck. Police say Morris was driving in excess of 100 mph in her 2011 Hyundai while on Interstate 240 east. When she entered the curve of the off ramp, she was unable to maintain the roadway at that speed, according to police. Read more...
Former Western Michigan Star Arrested for DUI
A former basketball standout at Country Day and Western Michigan was arrested early Sunday morning on suspicion of DUI in Bellevue, Neb. Carrie Moore, who led the country in scoring in 2007 with the Broncos, is an assistant coach with Creighton. According to multiple media reports, including KETV-TV in Omaha, Neb., Moore was found asleep behind the wheel of her car in a McDonald's drive thru around 2:50 a.m. Read more...
February 20, 2012
Meth Case Involves 3 Generations of 1 Family
It's a generational thing: Deputies in Florida say a man, his daughter and his grandson, along with a fourth person said to be a family relative, are accused of working together to manufacture methamphetamine. Dixie County Sheriff's officials said 54-year-old Allen J. Brannin, his 34-year-old daughter, Amy M. Brannin, and her 18-year-old son, Austin J. Brannin, were arrested. Another relative, 18-year-old Tyler W. Cannon, was also arrested. Read more...
Robin Thicke Arrested for Marijuana Possession
Robin Thicke is singing the blues. The R&B singer was arrested for possession of marijuana in New York City. Thicke, 34, was arrested by officers who saw him smoking a joint in a black Cadillac Escalade. The singer was in the car with another person, but only Thicke was arrested. "He wasn't driving," a police source tells the newspaper. "He was sitting in the car. He was arrested and a small amount of marijuana was recovered on him." Read more...
February 17, 2012
Paul McCartney Giving Up Marijuana
The Beatles musician has smoked the herbal drug since The Beatles's hey day in the 60s, but has given up marijuana so he can be a better parent to his eight-year-old daughter, Beatrice, his child with ex-wife Heather Mills. He told Rolling Stone magazine: "I did a lot, and it was enough. I smoked my share. When you're bringing up a youngster, your sense of responsibility does kick in. Enough's enough - you just don't seem to think it's necessary." Read more...
February 16, 2012
Student Sues School Over Strip Search
A Georgia middle school student claimed in a lawsuit Wednesday he was humiliated and traumatized when he was brought to a vice principal's office and forced to strip in front of classmates who said he had marijuana. The student, then in the seventh-grade, said he still suffers from emotional distress because his classmates taunted him by calling him Superman, the underwear he was wearing when he was strip-searched. The student is suing the Clayton County school district for unspecified punitive and compensatory damages. Read more...
Drug Bust Nabs 17 TCU Students
Seventeen students, including four football players, were arrested in a drug bust at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, school officials said. At a news conference, officials said those arrested sold drugs to undercover narcotics officers both on and off campus during a six-month investigation. "There is no doubt all of those arrested today are drug dealers," said Steve McGee, TCU chief of police, according to NBCDFW.com. "These individuals engaged in hand-to-hand delivery, for money, with undercover narcotics agents." Read more...
February 15, 2012
Doctor Gets Life in Deadly Pill Mill Case
A federal judge in Ohio has sentenced lllinois doctor Paul H. Volkman to four life terms in prison for his conviction in the drug overdose deaths of four patients. U.S. District Court Judge Sandra Beckwith imposed the sentences in Cincinnati, along with sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years on 13 other drug-trafficking related counts. Read more...
February 13, 2012
Ditka Son's DUI Arrest Quashed
The Lake County State's Attorney's Office has until Feb. 24 to decide to go forward with the felony DUI case against a son of former Chicago Bears Coach Mike Ditka. The attorney for Michael Ditka, 50, of Deerfield said "the state is going to be hard pressed to go further" after a Lake County judge Thursday quashed the arrest. Ditka was charged with felony DUI after he was arrested for drunk driving on April 20, 2011, in the parking lot of the Deerfield apartment complex where he lives. His vehicle was parked at the time of his arrest, according to his attorney, Robert Ritacca. Read more...
February 11, 2012
Native Americans Sue Beer Companies
A Native American tribe has sued some of the world's largest beer makers, claiming they knowingly contributed to alcohol problems on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota said it is demanding $500 million in damages for the cost of health care, social services and child rehabilitation caused by chronic alcoholism on the reservation, which encompasses some of the nation's most impoverished counties. Read more...
February 10, 2012
Mexican Troops Seize 15 Tons of Meth
Mexican troops have made an historic seizure of 15 tons of pure methamphetamine in the western state of Jalisco, the Mexican army said in a statement. The find was more than four times the size of a major seizure last summer of 3.4 tons and more than twice the total amount of the drug seized in Mexico in 2009, according to United Nations statistics. Soldiers discovered the huge cache in the town of Tlajomulco de Zuniga, a suburb of Mexico's second-largest city, Guadalajara. Read more...
Traffic Stop Leads to 'Suge' Knight's Arrest
Marion "Suge" Knight, former head of Death Row Records, was arrested for possessing marijuana during a traffic stop Wednesday, Las Vegas Police said. A record check during the traffic stop revealed that Knight, 46, had three outstanding warrants in Las Vegas related to traffic offenses, Meltzer said. The patrol officer then found marijuana in Knight's possession, she said. Read more...
Red Sox Pitcher Boyd Admits Cocaine Use
Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd's new tell-all book, "They Call Me Oil Can: My Life in Baseball,'' which hits bookstores in June, should be a blockbuster if the stories are similar to what the former Red Sox pitcher told WBZ's Jon Miller. Boyd, who spent eight of his 10 major league seasons with the Red Sox, admitted he was under the influence of cocaine two-thirds of the time he was on the mound. "Oh yeah, at every ballpark,'' he said. "There wasn't one ballpark that I probably didn't stay up all night, until four or five in the morning, and the same thing is still in your system. It's not like you have time to go do it while in the game, which I had done that." Read more...
February 09, 2012
49ers Ray McDonald Arrested on Warrant
49ers defensive end Ray McDonald was arrested after police discovered an outstanding arrest warrant during a route traffic stop. McDonald was arrested and subsequently released. According to reports, McDonald had a $7,500 arrest warrant issued in his name on August 9, 2011. The warrant was related to his 2010 arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence. In handling that case, McDonald was reportedly required to attend a first offender's class that anyone convicted of a DUI must take. The warrant was issued when he reportedly failed to submit proof that he attended the class. Read more...
February 08, 2012
Mom Guilty in Meth Breast Milk Case
Authorities are cracking down on parents who place their children in danger while being involved in drug use and activity. Many states have passed laws increasing penalties for drug use and possession when children are present and even drunk driving penalties are enhanced if a child is endangered. Now a 27-year-old California woman has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for the death of her infant, who died after she breastfed him while using methamphetamine. Read more...
February 07, 2012
Broncos RB Knowshon Moreno Popped for DUI
Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno was arrested for drunk driving in Denver earlier this month ... and in an ironic twist of fate, cops say the license plate on his ride read "SAUCED." According to the Denver PD, 24-year-old Moreno was driving his convertible Bentley on Feb. 1 when he was pulled over for doing 70 in a 45 in a construction zone. Police say Moreno smelled like booze and when he performed poorly on a field sobriety test, they arrested him for DUI. Read more...
Randy Travis Arrested for Public Intoxication
Country singer Randy Travis has apologized after being arrested on a charge of public intoxication outside a North Texas church. Denton County sheriff's spokesman Tom Reedy says police in the town of Sanger arrested Travis after spotting a vehicle parked in front of a church and finding an open bottle of wine and Travis smelling of alcohol. The singer, who lives in the small town of Tioga near Sanger, apologized in a statement, "for what resulted following an evening of celebrating the Super Bowl." Read more...
February 06, 2012
Drunk Driver Gets 20 Years for Nun's Death
Carlos A. Martinelly-Montano, 24, was sentenced in Prince William County court to 20 years in prison for causing the crash that killed Sister Denise Mosier, 66, and badly injured Sister Connie Ruth Lupton, 77. The case sparked national outrage, becoming a touchstone in the debate about illegal immigration. Martinelly-Montano, originally from Bolivia, had two drunken-driving convictions, and a deportation hearing had been scheduled before the crash. He was convicted of felony murder and other charges. Read more...
Demi Moore Reportedly Seeking Rehab
A source confirms to Us Weekly that the actress -- who suffered a seizure after smoking an "incense-like substance" on January 23 -- has entered rehab, and began receiving treatment late last week. E! News reports Moore is being treated in Utah, for an eating disorder and addiction issues. "She's on total lockdown and only talking to a small group of people," a source said. Read more...
February 04, 2012
Radcliffe: I'm Drunk in Some 'Harry Potter' Scenes
Daniel Radcliffe admitted he was drunk while filming some scenes for the "Harry Potter" movies during a period in his life where he was drinking "nightly," the young star said in an interview. "I have a very addictive personality. It was a problem. People with problems like that are very adept at hiding it. It was bad. I don't want to go into details, but I drank a lot and it was daily -- I mean nightly," Radcliffe said. Read more...
Griffin O'Neal Gets 16 Months in DUI Case
Griffin O'Neal, the son of actor Ryan O'Neal, was sentenced to 16 months in prison after pleading guilty to drunk driving and weapons possession in an auto accident last year that injured another driver. O'Neal, 47, a resident of northern San Diego County, had cocaine, marijuana, Xanax and amphetamines in his system when the accident occurred in August, according to court documents. He also had a handgun and shotgun in his possession. He was on probation at the time for a 2007 drunk driving conviction. Read more...
February 03, 2012
'Star Trek' Actor Brooks Charged With DUI
A lead actor on the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" television series has been charged with driving under the influence in Connecticut. Avery Brooks is set to be arraigned in state court in Norwalk in connection with his arrest in Wilton, a wealthy suburb about 50 miles northeast of Manhattan. He played Capt. Benjamin Sisko on the 1990s "Star Trek" series and had the role of Hawk on "Spenser: For Hire" in the 1980s. Read more...
Leslie Carter Suffered Apparent Overdose
Leslie Carter, the 25-year-old sister of Nick and Aaron Carter, suffered an apparent overdose and had been taking medication for depression, according to a police report. Leslie, who was an aspiring singer, died in upstate New York. An official cause of death is pending toxicology tests. Her stepmother, Ginger Carter, told authorities that Leslie had "a long history of mental illness" and seemed depressed the morning before she died, according to an incident report from the Chautauqua County sheriff. Read more...
February 02, 2012
Teen Overdosed on 'Date Rape' Drug
A 14-year-old Northern California girl who died during a sleepover party last summer overdosed on a chemical found in so-called "date rape" drugs, but it's unclear how she got the drug, authorities said. Takeimi Rao died in July from drinking a fatal dose of Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid or GHB, which has become popular among young people at dance clubs and raves, Sonoma County Sheriff's Lt. Dennis O'Leary said. Read more...
Child Star Taran Noah Smith Popped for DUI, Drugs
Former "Home Improvement" sitcom star Taran Noah Smith is all grown up -- but the ex-actor apparently still has some room for personal improvement when it comes to parallel parking and alleged drug use. Police in Burbank, Calif., arrested Smith, 27, in connection with driving under the influence and drug possession. Smith, who played the youngest son on the 1990s TV show "Home Improvement," had stopped his car at an odd angle in front of a fire hydrant, police told the Times. That aroused officers' suspicions, but an incriminating smell led to Smith's arrest. When officers approached Taran Noah Smith's car, it was stopped at a hydrant with its engine still running, the Times reports. Officers picked up on the familiar smell of marijuana. Read more...
Drugs May Have Played Role In Leslie Carter's Death
A little over a day ago, reality television personality and aspiring singer Leslie Carter was found unconscious by family members. Authorities rushed to the scene, but by the time they arrived, nothing could be done. The twenty-five year old was pronounced dead shortly thereafter, and her family released a statement asking for privacy. According to TMZ, Leslie had been battling a very serious prescription drug addiction for some time. Read more...
February 01, 2012
Apartment Raid Turns Up $7.5 Million in Pot
Cops raided a New York apartment building and found it had been turned into a pot farm. Acting on a tip, police broke down the door and discovered a staggering 600 marijuana-growing pots. They filled all of the top four floors of the five-story building. "It was like a pot farm in there," one law enforcement source said. "They were using enough electricity, grow lights and such to power an entire city block." http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/01/31/marijuana-worth-75m-found-over-four-floors-new-york-apartment-building/#ixzz1l6rrhZPS
January 31, 2012
Police Want Help to Spot Drugged Drivers
With prescription drug abuse increasing at epidemic levels, a corresponding rise in the number of drugged drivers on the highways has resulted. The problem has grown so rapidly that it has outpaced both the technology and the ability law enforcement officers to identify and deal with the danger. Read more...
Ryan Merriman's DUI Charge Now Official
Actor Ryan Merriman has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, stemming from his arrest in November 2011. The Final Destination 3 star was driving through Newport Beach, California when his car was stopped by police for a traffic violation. Officers suspected he was intoxicated and took him into custody. Now Merriman has been officially charged with two counts of DUI. Read more...
Bengals' Simpson Pleads Not Guilty to Drug Charges
Jerome Simpson spent the beginning of Super Bowl XLVI week in Kenton Circuit Court answering a drug charge. The Bengals wide receiver pleaded not guilty to one count of trafficking marijuana in excess of eight ounces, a felony punishable by one to five years in prison. Simpson remained free after Judge Gregory Bartlett gave him until Tuesday to post a $2,500 bond. Next hearing in case is set for Feb. 20. Read more...
January 30, 2012
Police Seek Help on Drugged Driving
The federal government should help police departments nationwide obtain the tools and training needed to attack a rising scourge of driving under the influence, two U.S. senators said. Sens. Charles Schumer of New York and Mark Pryor of Arkansas proposed that federal funding in a pending transportation funding bill be used for research and to train police. They said police have no equipment and few have training in identifying drugged drivers, who don't show the same outward signs of intoxication as drunken drivers do, such as slurred speech. Read more...
Town Famous for Celebrity Drug Busts
Nestled among the few remaining businesses that dot a rundown highway in this dusty West Texas town stands what's become a surprise destination for marijuana-toting celebrities: the Hudspeth County Jail. Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg and actor Armie Hammer have been among the thousands of people busted for possession at a Border Patrol checkpoint outside town in recent years, bringing a bit of notoriety to one of Texas' most sparsely populated counties. Read more...
49ers' Aldon Smith Charged With DUI
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith was charged Saturday with driving under the influence in Miami Beach. Miami-Dade County jail records show Smith was booked and held on $1,000 bond. A Miami-Dade County Corrections spokeswoman said Smith was arrested by Miami Beach police. Read more...
January 28, 2012
4-Year-Old Brings Nine Bags of Pot to School
A 4-year-old boy brought nine bags of pot to his elementary school and pulled them out during snack time, police said. A teacher at Hanover Elementary School in Meriden, Conn., alerted officials to the drug. Detective Lt. Mark Walerysiak, a police spokesman, said that the child turned over the bags to his teacher. Read more...
Kim Richards Admits She's an Alcoholic
Kim Richards has finally revealed the reason behind her trip to a rehab facility in early December. The "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" cast-member admitted to her alcohol addiction in upcoming, three-part second season reunion episode, in which she was interviewed separately from the rest of the cast. Kim Richards, whose erratic behavior on the reality TV show led many to assume that it was the fallout with younger sister Kyle that led her to seek professional help, confessed for the first time on the show's reunion episode that she was being treated for alcoholism during her stint in rehab. Read more...
Demi Moore 911 Call: 'She Smoked Something'
"Send an ambulance right now. This is an emergency." So begins the dramatic 911 call, in which Demi Moore's friends are desperately trying to get an ambulance to the actress' Beverly Hills home as quickly as possible, which was released this morning by the Los Angeles Fire Department. "She smoked something. It's not marijuana but it's similar to incense. She seems to be having convulsions of some sort," the caller said. Read more...
January 27, 2012
Pat Sajak Admits Boozing Before 'Wheel' Tapings
The "Wheel of Fortune" wasn't the only thing spinning for Pat Sajak and Vanna White back in the day. Sajak said in an interview on ESPN2 this week that the longtime game show team occasionally would walk over to a nearby restaurant for "two or three or six" margaritas during a break in taping early "Wheel of Fortune" shows in California. They would "have trouble recognizing the alphabet" during the tapings that followed, he said. Read more...
January 26, 2012
Mixed Results in Annual Drug Survey
The annual Monitoring the Future survey brought mixed results for parents and health officials concerned about preventing youth substance abuse. Alcohol and cigarette use is at a historic low among 8th, 10th and 12th graders, but marijuana and prescription drug use has increased. Read more...
Detroit Lions' Culbreath Arrested on Drug Charges
A former S.C. State University and current Detroit Lions offensive tackle was arrested at an Orangeburg hotel on a drug-related charge. Listed as a resident of both Lawrence, Ga., and Detroit, Johnny C. Culbreath was charged with simple possession of marijuana. The 23-year-old NFL rookie went before Orangeburg County Magistrate Richard Murray later Monday, where he paid a fine of $412 to end the case. Read more...
Son of Oral Roberts Arrested on DUI Charge
Richard Roberts, the son of the late evangelist Oral Roberts, was arrested Tuesday for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper stopped the 63-year-old just past midnight driving 93 miles per hour in his Mercedes-Benz. According to the arrest report, Roberts failed a breathalyzer and field sobriety test. Read more...
January 25, 2012
Meth Shakers Overwhelm Burn Units
A new method of making methamphetamine is so volatile that hospital burn units have become so overwhelmed with injured patients - many without insurance - to the point that some of the unit have been forced to shut down. The new 'Shake and Bake' method of producing meth in a 2-liter soda bottle has exploded in the face of thousands of victims, according to a survey by The Associated Press. Up to one-third of all burn patients in hospitals in the top meth-producing states are would-be meth makers. Read more...
Whitney Houston Reportedly 'Flat Broke'
She's about to make her big screen comeback in the remake of Sparkle with popstar Jordin Sparks but Whitney Houston is reportedly 'broke'. The 48-year-old singer - who has overcome crack cocaine addiction - has allegedly spent all of her fortune, including a reported $100 million record deal. Whitney is being financially supported by her record label Arista, which has given her an advance payment on her next album, according to reports. Read more...
January 24, 2012
Woman Hosted 'Kegger' Before 3 Teens Crashed
A prosecutor will seek a prison term for a western Pennsylvania woman who has pleaded guilty to serving a half-keg of beer to teen guests at her son's graduation party, before three of them were killed in a crash about a mile away. Susan Sanders-Watt, 60, of Greensburg, pleaded guilty to four counts each of corruption of minors and reckless endangerment and 17 citations of serving alcohol to minors. Read more...
Meth Fills Hospitals With Burn Patients
A crude new method of making methamphetamine poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment — a burden so costly that it's contributing to the closure of some burn units. So-called shake-and-bake meth is produced by combining raw, unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle. But if the person mixing the noxious brew makes the slightest error, such as removing the cap too soon or accidentally perforating the plastic, the concoction can explode, searing flesh and causing permanent disfigurement, blindness or even death. Read more...
Sam Hurd to Fight Drug Distribution Charges
Former NFL wide receiver Sam Hurd has hired new attorneys to defend him against accusations that he tried to establish a drug-dealing network. Hurd, 26, will plead not guilty this week to charges that he tried to buy large quantities of cocaine and marijuana, said his new attorneys, Michael McCrum of San Antonio and Jay Ethington of Dallas. Authorities say they caught Hurd telling an undercover agent that he and a co-conspirator already distributed cocaine throughout the Chicago area and needed more supply. Read more...
January 23, 2012
Man Arrested for Third DUI in Five Days
San Diego County Sheriff's Department deputies have arrested the same man three times in five days on suspicion of drunk driving. In the latest incident, deputies responded to a report of a drunken driver and by the time they arrived found David Lakarnafeaux in a nearby bar having another beer. Read more...
