Dennis Rodman Convicted In Wrong Way Driving Case

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — A former NBA star was convicted Monday of driving the wrong way on the freeway and providing false information to the police.

Dennis Keith Rodman, 55-year-old Newport Beach resident, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of driving a motor vehicle across a dividing section, one misdemeanor count of giving false information to a police officer, and one misdemeanor count of driving a motor vehicle without a valid license according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

"The court accepted a civil compromise between the defendant and the victim and discharged one misdemeanor count of hit and run with property damage," OCDA's Chief of Staff Susan Kang Schroeder said. "Rodman was sentenced to three years of informal probation, 30 hours of community service, must pay restitution, and must donate $500 to the Victim Witness Emergency Fund."

On July 20, 2016 at approximately 12:30 a.m. Rodman drove a sport utility vehicle traveling north in the southbound carpool lane on Interstate 5 near Main Street in Santa Ana. The lane bears concrete dividing walls on either side.

"Rodman drove head-on toward a sedan, causing the driver of the sedan to swerve and crash into a dividing wall to avoid contact with the defendant’s vehicle," Kang-Schroeder said. "The victim called 911 and California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers responded to the scene. Rodman failed to exchange information with the other driver and fled the scene prior to CHP’s arrival."

CHP identified Rodman during the course of their investigation. The defendant gave verbal false accounts to investigating officers.

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