Witherspoon faces disorderly charge
Police in Georgia say that actress Reese Witherspoon has been arrested on a disorderly conduct charge after a traffic stop involving her husband in Atlanta.
A Georgia State Police incident report says Witherspoon was arrested early Friday and charged with disorderly conduct.
The report says a state trooper observed that a car driven by Witherspoon’s husband, James Toth, was failing to stay in its lane. The officer writes that Witherspoon disobeyed multiple orders to stay in the car while he performed a field sobriety test on Toth.
After she refused to return the car, she was handcuffed and arrested.
“Do you know my name?” Witherspoon is quoted as asking the trooper. She’s also said: “You’re about to find out who I am” and “You’re about to be on national news,” according to the report.
Toth was charged with driving under the influence.
Witherspoon later issued an apology, saying, “I clearly had one drink too many and I am deeply embarrassed about the things I said. It was definitely a scary situation and I was frightened for my husband, but that is no excuse. I was disrespectful to the officer who was just doing his job. I have nothing but respect for the police and I’m very sorry for my behavior.”
3 Doors Down drummer in fatal crash
Bassist Robert Todd Harrell of the rock band 3 Doors Down has been charged with vehicular homicide by intoxication after an interstate crash claimed the life of another motorist in the Nashville, Tenn., area, police said.
The 41-year-old musician remained jailed early Sunday in connection with the fatal accident late Friday night on Interstate 40 that left 47-year-old Paul Howard Shoulders Jr. dead, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said.
A police statement said a preliminary investigation showed Harrell was driving at a high rate of speed in the Nashville suburb of Hermitage when his car clipped a pickup truck driven by Shoulders. The pickup then went out of control, struck a guardrail, went down an embankment and overturned. Shoulders, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the truck. He was later pronounced dead at a Nashville hospital.
Police said Harrell showed signs of impairment when he underwent field sobriety tasks.
The police statement said Harrell, of Mt. Juliet, also was charged with bringing controlled substances into the jail. Authorities said deputies discovered a plastic bag concealed in his sock that contained Xanax, oxycodone and oxymorphone during a search at the booking room.
The birthday bunch
Actress Charlotte Rae (“The Facts of Life”) is 87. Singer Glen Campbell is 77. Actor Jack Nicholson is 76. Director John Waters is 67. Singer Peter Frampton is 63. Actor Ryan Stiles (“The Drew Carey Show”) is 54. TV personality Sherri Shepherd (“The View”) is 46. Actor Eric Mabius (“Ugly Betty”) is 42. Bassist Shavo Odadjian (System of a Down) is 39.