DUI

SACRAMENTO — A Riverside County lawmaker accused of driving drunk after a car crash, but cleared by a blood test, took the first step Monday toward suing the Sacramento Police Department, saying officers had tarnished her reputation.

After Sen. Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) was broadsided by an SUV near the Capitol in May, Sacramento police interviewed the 37-year-old lawmaker for hours at a Kaiser Permanente hospital before citing her on suspicion of driving under the influence. Prosecutors declined to file charges after the toxicology results of a blood test revealed no “measurable amount of alcohol or drugs.”

In an 11-page filing Monday, Cervantes alleged that officers had retaliated against her over a bill that would sharply curtail how police can store data gathered by automated license plate readers, a proposal opposed by more than a dozen law enforcement agencies.

The filing also alleges that the police treated Cervantes, who is gay and Latina, differently than the white woman driver who ran a stop sign and broadsided her car.

“This is not only about what happened to me — it’s about accountability,” Cervantes said in a prepared statement. “No Californian should be falsely arrested, defamed, or retaliated against because of who they are or what they stand for.”

Cervantes, a first-year state senator, has said since the crash that she did nothing wrong. She represents the 31st Senate District, which covers portions of Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and chairs the Senate elections committee.

Cervantes’ lawyer, James Quadra, said the Sacramento police had tried to “destroy the reputation of an exemplary member of the state Senate,” and that the department’s “egregious misconduct” includes false arrest, intentional infliction of emotional distress and defamation.

A representative for the Sacramento Police Department declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

After news broke of the crash, the Sacramento Police Department told reporters that they had “observed objective signs of intoxication” after speaking to Cervantes at the hospital. She said in her filing that the police had asked her to conduct a test gauging her eyes’ reaction to stimulus, a “less accurate and subjective test” than the blood test she requested.

The toxicology screen had “completely exonerated” Cervantes, the filing said, but the police department had already “released false information to the press claiming that Senator Cervantes had driven while under the influence of drugs.”

The filing alleges that one police officer turned off his body camera for about five minutes while answering a call on his cell phone. The filing also said that the department failed to produce body camera footage from a sergeant who also came to the hospital.

Actor Nicholas Braun, best known for his work in the hit HBO series “Succession,” began his Labor Day weekend with a run-in with New Hampshire law officials.

Moultonborough Police Chief Peter W. Beede announced in a Tuesday press release that officers arrested the 37-year-old actor Friday evening on suspicion of DUI-Impairment in the town of Moultonborough, N.H., about an hour north of the state’s capitol of Concord. Braun was also arrested on suspicion of driving at night without his headlights on.

The release did not share additional information about Braun’s arrest. Representatives for the actor did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

Braun was booked in Carroll County Jail and released on his own recognizance, according to TMZ. The outlet also reported that the actor will be arraigned Sept. 16.

In HBO’s “Succession,” Braun became a fan favorite for his portrayal of Cousin Greg, an outsider who manages to weasel his way into the core family’s business and the bid for aging media mogul Logan Roy’s (Brian Cox) multi-industry empire. He received three Primetime Emmy nominations for the role.

Braun is also known for his work in Disney flicks “Sky High,” “Princess Protection Program” and “Minutemen.” His credits include “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot,” “Zola” and “Saturday Night.”

Former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler pleaded guilty to a DUI charge but had three other charges, including for possession of a handgun while under the influence, dropped during a Tennessee court appearance Tuesday following his October 2024 arrest.

The 2008 Pro Bowl player was sentenced to four days in Williamson County jail, which he is set to start serving Sept. 29, according to WSMV-TV in Nashville. The Times has reached out to attorneys for Cutler and Tennessee’s 21st District but did not immediately receive responses.

As part of his plea deal, WSMV reported, Cutler agreed to forfeit his Glock pistol. In addition to the jail time, he will be on unsupervised probation for one year. He also had his Tennessee drivers license revoked and is required to pay a $350 fine and attend a DUI safety class.

Cutler was arrested Oct. 17 after Franklin Police Department officers responded to a minor collision in which it appeared that Cutler’s vehicle rear-ended another vehicle. According to the police, Cutler smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes and slurred his words.

After he refused a field sobriety test, police said, Cutler was taken to a hospital and a blood sample was taken after a search warrant was obtained. Two firearms were found in his vehicle, according to the police, including a loaded pistol.

All four charges against Cutler — which also included failure to exercise due care and violating implied consent — were misdemeanors. He was released on a $5,000 bond.

Cutler was selected 11th overall by the Denver Broncos in the 2006 draft and became their starting quarterback late in the season. He was traded to the Chicago Bears before the 2009 season and led the team to the NFC championship game that year, in his only postseason appearance.

Cutler was cut by the Bears in March 2017 and played one more season with the Miami Dolphins before ending his career. He and reality TV star Kristen Cavallari were married from 2013-2022 and have three children together.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Minnesota Vikings receiver Jordan Addison will avoid jail time for his 2024 DUI citation after pleading no contest to a lesser charge Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The former USC standout was arrested in July 2024 when a California Highway Patrol officer found him sleeping behind the wheel of a Rolls-Royce that was blocking traffic near Los Angeles International Airport.

Addison pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor drunk-driving charges in December; those charges were dismissed Thursday after Addison entered a no-contest plea to the charge of “wet reckless driving upon a highway.”

“While Mr. Addison’s case would have made for a great trial, I admire him for taking responsibility by accepting the City Attorney’s ‘wet reckless’ offer,” Addison’s attorney, Jacqueline Sparagna, said in a statement. “Now he can put this incident behind him and solely focus on his promising career.”

Addison was sentenced to 12 months’ probation and is required to pay a $390 fine and complete two online courses. In a statement posted to X, Addison’s agent Tim Younger said the expectation was that “his probation will be terminated early in six months.”

“Over the past year, he voluntarily participated in MADD events and programs and, after reflection, decided to enter this plea understanding the ramifications of this decision,” Younger wrote. “He has kept the organization apprised throughout these legal proceedings, and will continue in his full commitment to being a valuable member of his team.”

Had Addison been convicted on the charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with 0.08% blood-alcohol level, he could have faced up to six months in jail, been fined up to $1,000 and had his license suspended for as long as 10 months.

According to the NFL’s policy and program on substances of abuse, Addison still could face a three-game suspension without pay, with some “aggravating circumstances” allowing for a harsher penalty. The league said in a statement Thursday that the matter “remains under review.”

Addison spent the first two years of his college career at the University of Pittsburgh, winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award for best receiver in the country after catching 100 passes for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns during the 2021 season.

After catching 59 passes for 875 yards and eight touchdowns at USC the following season, Addison was selected by Minnesota at No. 23 overall in the 2023 draft. He has 133 catches for 1,786 yards and 19 touchdowns in two seasons with the Vikings.

Gymnastics legend Mary Lou Retton pleaded no contest Tuesday to a DUI charge that stemmed from her arrest last month in her hometown of Fairmont, W.Va.

In a statement emailed to The Times, attorney Edmund J. Rollo said a Marion County judge fined his client $100. Rollo said that the amount is “consistent with sentencing guidelines for first-time, non-aggravated offenses in this jurisdiction.”

According to the Associated Press, Retton was pulled over on May 17 by police responding to a report about a Porsche being driven erratically. The 57-year-old former Olympic athlete is said to have smelled of alcohol, slurred her words and failed a field sobriety test. And officers said they observed a container of wine in the passenger seat.

Retton reportedly refused a roadside breath test and a blood test. She was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs. Court records show Retton was released after posting a personal recognizance bond of $1,500.

“What happened was completely unacceptable. I make no excuses,” Retton said in a statement released Tuesday by Rollo. “To my family, friends and my fans: I have let you down, and for that I am deeply sorry. I am determined to learn and grow from this experience, and I am committed to making positive changes in my life. I truly appreciate your concern, encouragement and continued support.”

Retton became a household name during the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, when she became the first U.S. gymnast to win Olympic gold in the all-around competition and won five medals overall.

On Oct. 10, 2023, Retton’s daughter, McKenna Kelley, revealed that her mother had “a very rare form of pneumonia” and was “fighting for her life” in intensive care without being covered by medical insurance. An online fundraiser has raised nearly $500,000 to help cover medical costs for Retton, who was released from the hospital later that month.

In a January 2024 interview with NBC News, Retton said she was “not great yet” in terms of her recovery. “I don’t know how long I’ll indefinitely need the oxygen,” she said while gesturing toward her nasal tube.

U.S. gymnastics legend Mary Lou Retton faces a DUI charge after being arrested earlier this month in Marion County, W.Va.

According to Magistrate Court of Marion County records, Retton was arrested May 17 and charged with a misdemeanor count of driving under influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs. She was released after posting a personal recognizance bond of $1,500, the court records show.

Retton’s attorney declined to comment on the matter when reached by The Times.

Born in Fairmont, W.Va., Retton, 57, rose to household-name status during the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, when she became the first U.S. gymnast to win Olympic gold in the all-around competition, edging Romania’s Simona Pauca by five-tenths of a point.

Retton sealed the gold medal by earning perfect scores on her final two exercises, floor and vault, much to the delight of the crowd at Pauley Pavilion and millions of TV viewers around the country. During those Games, she won five medals, also including silvers for team all-around and vault, and bronzes for floor and uneven bars.

On Oct. 10, 2023, Retton’s daughter, McKenna Kelley, revealed that her mother had “a very rare form of pneumonia” and was “fighting for her life” in intensive care without being covered by medical insurance.

“She is not able to breathe on her own,” Kelley wrote in the description of a fundraiser that has raised nearly $500,000 to help cover Retton’s medical costs.

On Oct. 23, 2023, Kelley wrote in a now-deleted Instagram post that Retton was “HOME & in recovery mode.”

Retton said she was “not great yet” when she spoke about her ordeal and ongoing recovery with NBC News’ Hoda Kotb in January 2024.

“I don’t know how long I’ll indefinitely need the oxygen,” Retton said while gesturing toward her nasal tube, “but you have no idea how blessed and how grateful I was for this holiday season.”

Retton also addressed why she didn’t have health insurance at the time of her medical emergency.

“When COVID hit after my divorce, and all my preexisting — I mean, I’ve had over 30 operations, orthopedic stuff — I couldn’t afford it,” she said.