Vito J. Fossella, NY Congressman Charged With DWI

A Republican congressman representing New York City was arrested early Thursday outside Washington and charged with driving while intoxicated, police said.

Vito J. Fossella, who represents Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, was arrested some time between midnight and 2 a.m., said Lt. Ray Hazel, spokesman for the Alexandria Police Department.

He was charged with driving while intoxicated as a first offense, Hazel said, which under Virginia law requires a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher.

In a statement Thursday, Fossella apologized for his conduct.

"Last night I made an error in judgment," Fossella said. "As a parent, I know that taking even one drink of alcohol before getting behind the wheel of a car is wrong. I apologize to my family and the constituents of the 13th Congressional District for embarrassing them, as well as myself."

Hazel said he could provide no further details on the arrest, including Fossella's exact blood-alcohol level or where in the city he was arrested.

Fossella, 43, is the lone Republican member of the New York City congressional delegation.

He faced a surprisingly strong re-election challenge in 2006 and is bracing for a similar fight this year. His candidacy has drawn the support from national Republican leadership in recent weeks, including Vice President Dick Cheney.

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Mel Gibson Complies With Terms Of Probation

Hollywood star Mel Gibson has complied with the terms of his probation following an arrest for drink-driving last year which saw him unleash an anti-Semitic tirade, a court heard today.

At a brief hearing in Malibu, Gibson's lawyers provided documentation showing that the 51-year-old Oscar-winning director of Braveheart had regularly attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings since his arrest.

Gibson was arrested in July last year after being caught speeding along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu while drunk.

It later emerged he had made a string of anti-Semitic and sexist remarks to police officers during his arrest.

He pleaded no contest to a charge of driving under the influence and was given three years probation, ordered to pay $US1400 in fines and told to attend AA meetings for four-and-a-half months.

Gibson, who did not appear in court for today's progress hearing, has made a series of public apologies for the remarks.

Judge Lawrence Mira said Gibson must attend court for his next hearing scheduled for February 15.

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Lindsay Lohan: "My Life Has Become Completely Unmanageable"

US actor Lindsay Lohan has admitted she is addicted to alcohol and drugs after today being sentenced to 24 hours in prison for drink-driving.

Lohan will also serve 10 days of community service and complete a drug treatment program under the deal reached overnight at the Beverly Hills Superior Court.

"She's getting what everyone else would get," Los Angeles deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers said after an hour-long hearing.

Lohan was charged with seven misdemeanour counts following her twin drink-driving arrests.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office said Lohan faced two counts each of driving under the influence, driving with excessive alcohol and being under the influence of cocaine.

The 21-year-old star of Herbie Fully Loaded and Georgia Rule also faced one count of reckless driving.

But Lohan, who has been enrolled in an intensive program at a Utah rehabilitation centre since her second arrest in July, was spared felony drug possession charges which could have led to a substantial prison sentence.

The district attorney's office said that while Lohan had been found in possession of cocaine at both of her arrests in May and July, the amounts involved were below the 0.05 grams required for felony charges.

Lohan released a statement today admitting she was "addicted to alcohol and drugs", Entertainment Tonight reported

"It is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs. Recently, I relapsed and did things for which I am ashamed. I broke the law, and today I took responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges in my case.

"No matter what I said when I was under the influence on the day I was arrested, I am not blaming anyone else for my conduct other than myself. I thank God I did not injure others. I easily could have.

"I very much want to be healthy and gain control of my life and career and have asked for medical help in doing so. I am taking these steps to improve my life. Luckily, I am not alone in my daily struggle and I know that people like me have succeeded. Maybe with time it will become easier. I hope so."

Lohan was first arrested on May 26 after smashing her Mercedes into a curb in Beverly Hills before being accused of driving under the influence.

Within days, Lohan had enrolled in a detox program at the Promises rehabilitation centre in Malibu.

It was her second stint in rehab of 2007; she was admitted for treatment in January after reportedly being discovered passed out in a hotel corridor following the Golden Globes awards.

However, within days of leaving rehab, Lohan was arrested for drink-driving again when she was stopped in Santa Monica on July 24.

Lohan was alleged to have chased the mother of her personal assistant, who called police to report the incident.

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Lindsay Lohan Returns Back Home - The Rehab

It's been reported that Lindsay Lohan has checked into rehab again - for the third time this year. Lindsay Lohan has apparently gone to Utah to check into the Cirque Lodge rehab facility in Sundance, Utah, to battle her ongoing addictions to alcohol, drugs, making useless films, acting like a dickhead all the time and having funny-coloured public hairs. As yet details of Lindsay Lohan's newest rehab visit are unclear, so as yet we aren't able to tell you if Lindsay Lohan has entered the Utah rehab facility to finally get tough on herself or if she's heard the urban myth that says if you go to one rehab centre in each US state you're allowed as much confiscated rehab cocaine as you can cram into your trouser pockets.
OK, OK, we know we said yesterday that Lindsay Lohan was staying in Long Island with her family, but that appears to have been a fat load of bollocks. In reality the truth is a little more newsworthy - Lindsay Lohan's only gone off to rehab again. It's a brave move for Lindsay Lohan, and one that proves that she's as determined to iron out her problems as she was the last two times that she's been to rehab this year, although hopefully without the bit afterwards where she nauses everything up like a wazzock.
Because - as well you all know - Lindsay Lohan has tried out this rehab game before. In January Lindsay Lohan went to rehab even though she was adamant that she didn't need to. And rehab fixed all of Lindsay Lohan's problems, apart from the one about getting drunk, possibly taking cocaine and driving cars into shrubs. That incident sparked off Lindsay Lohan's second rehab stay of the year in May, which she took more seriously - joining an extended rehab program and leaving with an alcohol monitoring bracelet on her ankle.
And this second rehab stint fixed all of Lindsay Lohan's problems, apart from the about getting drunk and chasing cars about with cocaine in your trousers until an arrest happens. Because that's what happened days after Lindsay Lohan was released from rehab. And, even though Lindsay Lohan says she's innocent, she's still likely to face a jail sentence for her repeated DUIness unless some pretty drastic measures are taken. And that means - you guessed it - going to rehab again. The Daily Dish reports:
Lindsay Lohan has reportedly checked into rehab in Utah. The actress, who disappeared from the limelight following her second drunk-driving arrest in three months in July, has entered the Cirque Lodge alcohol rehab in Sundance, Utah, according to U.S. sources. This is the third rehab facility Lohan has checked into this year after stints at Wonderland and Promises in California. The 21-year-old star is facing two misdemeanor charges of suspicion of driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license as well as two felony charges of possession of a controlled substance and bringing contraband into a custody facility.
Nobody knows for sure why Lindsay Lohan chose to go to Utah of all places to go to rehab. Perhaps Lindsay read Town & Country magazine when it called Cirque Lodge one of the best rehab centres in America, or perhaps Lindsay figured that she'd get better faster if she stayed out of LA. Or perhaps - as we secretly suspect - Lindsay Lohan saw the hard-ass way that Gary Coleman was treated by Utah locals last week and decided that confused, violent, jello-loving small-town folk would help her battle her addictions better than anyone else.
One thing's for sure, though - when Lindsay Lohan comes out of rehab it'll only be a matter of days before she screws up again, and then she'll need to find another rehab facility to go to in another state. The smart money's on Delaware, for what it's worth.

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Jessica Smith Pleads Guilty On DUI Charges

The attorney for Jessica Smith, former star of MTV's "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County," plead guilty to misdemeanor DUI on Monday.
Smith was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to attend one MADD meeting and serve 80 hours of community service.
Smith was charged back in March, after the car she was driving slammed into the back of an Acura, causing "great bodily injury" to people in both cars.
The CHP report said that her level of intoxication, unsafe speed and wet roadways were conditions that led to the crash.
Smith amassed fines and penalties totaling more than $1,300.

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DUI or DWI : Celebs Latest Crime

Judging from the entertainment headlines of late, a growing number of celebrity scandals have the whiff of alcohol about them.

Socialite Paris Hilton’s violation of her probation on charges that she drove drunk last September led to a judge’s decision on Friday to jail her for 45 days.

This after everyone from Hollywood actor-director Mel Gibson - who shocked the world when he made anti-Semitic remarks last July while being arrested for drink driving - to former Baywatch star David Hasselhoff - the subject of a video that surfaced this week where he appears inebriated - has paid the price
for having one too many.

Closer to home, actor Christopher Lee, 35, - faces five charges following his arrest for drink driving last October near Mustafa Centre. He will have his fourth court appearance on Thursday.

Former TV host Benedict Goh was charged on Wednesday with the same offence. Breathalyser tests showed the 38-year-old’s blood alcohol level was above the legal limit on two occasions when the police stopped him - first in February 2004, and then in the same month this year when the car he was driving collided with a stationary vehicle on the Ayer Rajah Expressway.

While alcohol-related run-ins with the law aren’t limited to the rich and famous, it seems that being in the public eye makes people especially susceptible to the perils of alcohol.

The Art of Saying ‘No’

Former MTV VJ Max Loong - an actor who has worked with corporations such as Motorola, Nike and Johnny Walker - finds it harder in Asia to say “No” when offered cocktails by those who recognise him in clubs.

“People here really like to see you down the drinks,” said the 27-year-old Cosmic Film artiste, who goes clubbing at least once a week when he’s in town. “They do make your life a little difficult when you decline their offers so there’s not much you can do in such situations.”

The actor, who currently stars in MediaCorp TV Channel 5’s drama After Hours, admitted that he tends to oblige the people who wish to buy him a cocktail unless he has to work the next day.

“It’s really hard saying no, and I don’t like feeling bad about people wasting their money to buy me drinks. But if I really don’t want to or can’t, I just have to stay strong and say no.”

For a self-confessed beer lover like film-maker Eric Khoo - who calls himself “a heavy drinker when the mood strikes him” - it can be even harder to turn down a proffered pint. Of course, this often puts the 39-year-old director in the position of trying to work out how to get back to his house safely.

“If I’m driving and know I’m going out for a drink, I will either take a cab or ask my wife to drive me home.

“In situations where people offer to buy me drinks and I really can’t drink that day, I’ll ask them to buy me drinks another day.”

MediaCorp Radio Class95 DJ Jean Danker also finds herself treated to offers of free drinks when she’s out on the town.

“I’ll accept the drinks more often than not,” said the 28-year-old DJ. “To be polite, I’ll at least take a sip or two. I don’t think maliciously of the people who offer me drinks. They could be one of my listeners or someone who recognises me.”

In any case, she has the perfect answer so that no one is offended. “I’d say I am the designated driver for my group of friends,” That usually stops anyone from becoming too persistent, she added.

Clubs Play a Part

Even though the consensus among club operators here seems to be that Singapore celebrities are not the type to let one too many glasses of wine turn them into potential road hazards, club managers still take precautions where drinking is concerned.

These include well-known outlets like Zouk, St James Power Station, Club Momo and The Hacienda.

Explaining that it’s difficult to control the alcohol consumption of customers, The Hacienda owner Michel Lu, 35, said that measures such as calling a cab for customers - celebrities and non-celebrities alike - are in place to ensure that those who have had one too many get home safely.

“It’s a responsible business practice, something I’ve followed since I started my first bar,” he said.

The club impresario, who has played host to the likes of Kate Moss, Jude Law, Naomi Campbell and footballer Hidetoshi Nakata, added that anyone who seems to have had too many alcoholic beverages tends to be removed from the premises.

“But we’ve never had a problem with celebrities, who are just like any other customer to us,” Lu said. “Real celebrities are classy and understand that to get respect, they have to act in a certain way.”

Ning Ling, 35, the marketing and guest relations manager for Club Momo, agreed that it’s hard to control how much customers drink. She said: “If they are members or regulars whom we know personally, we will not get them any more drinks once they are drunk, unless they have friends or someone who is driving them home.”

In such cases, a cab is usually called for the customer, or he is escorted out of the club to take a breather.

Cheryl Khong, 27, the publicity manager for St James Power Station, said the entertainment complex has a drive-home service for celebrities who are deemed unfit to take the wheel. And she has their contact numbers to make sure they get home safe.

“Generally, local celebrities don’t drink a lot but, if they insist on drinking, we will serve them but, at the same time, make sure that someone else is driving them home.”

She agreed with Lu that celebrities here are generally well behaved. “Most of the stories about how celebrities can be quite hard to handle are not true,” she said. “Usually all they ask for is a table and some privacy.”

Tracy Philips, the marketing manager of Zouk — which has played host to the likes of David Beckham and Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrmann — added that it’s often “the not-so-big stars that ask for more”.

“We try to assist them the best we can,” said Philips, who is in her 20s. “And our PR personnel and supervisors are always on the lookout to make sure that people don’t drink too much. We don’t really have the wild nights of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears here in Singapore, so drinking’s not much of a problem.”

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Christopher Lee Gets 4 weeks In Jailed And S$4,500 Fine for Drink-driving

MediaCorp actor Christopher Lee has been sentenced to four weeks in jail on charges relating to drink driving.

He has also been fined S$4,500 and is disqualified from driving for three years.

Lee arrived in court Thursday morning, accompanied by his lawyer and manager.

His offences include causing injury to a motorcyclist and his pillion rider, in a hit-and-run accident.

In passing his sentence, the judge said Lee knew he had caused an accident and could not be excused from failing to stop and check.

Breathalyser tests showed Lee's body contained twice the legal alcohol limit.

Lee had given over S$70,000 in compensation to the victims for their injuries, which the judge noted as "evidence of his remorse".

The Judge said given the recent spate of drink driving accidents, a message must be sent to the public that "such risks are not acceptable and will continue to be sternly treated".

Lee will be appealing against the jail term, and is currently out on S$20,000 bail.

When contacted, MediaCorp Studios said it is inappropriate to comment at this time as Lee is appealing against the sentence.

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Paris Hilton - Why I Accept My Fate!

Hotel heiress Paris Hilton is speaking out after being sentenced to 45 days in the slammer for violating the terms of her probation in an alcohol-related reckless-driving case.

It looks like she has finally come to terms with her fate, realizing she has no choice but to face the consequences of her actions and surrender to her future cellmate's bitch wishes. The doomed socialite was ordered by lawyers decided on her own accord to issue a statement, in which she accepts her 45-day jail sentence for driving with a suspended license.

"After reading the media's coverage of my court hearing, I feel the need to correct what I believe are misperceptions about me," Hilton's statement says. "I absolutely realize how serious driving under the influence is. I could not live with myself if anyone was injured or killed while I was driving while impaired. Clearly, no one should no matter how slightly. I am ready to face the consequences of violating probation.

"No one is above the law. I surely am not," the suspiciously articulate statement adds. "I do not expect to be treated better than anyone else who violated probation. However, my hope is that I will not be treated worse."

Sorry, Paris, but we'll be shocked if you survive 45 days unscathed among shiv-wielding inmates who are itching to turn you into a human piata.

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