Fame Shame: Stamos and Celebrities Who Have Driven Under the Influence

John Stamos, the former “Full House” family sitcom actor was the latest celebrity to be charged with driving under the influence (DUI) grabbing headlines for his arrest on June 12, 2015. While the circumstances of his impairment were not known, multiple calls to 911 were made to report a vehicle driving in an erratic fashion in Beverly Hills.

The actor was booked on charges of DUI after being treated at Cedar Sinai Hospital and his charge could not be more badly timed, as he is scheduled to return to his popular role as “Uncle Jesse” on the new “Fuller House” movie produced by NetFlix.

John Stamos joins a growing list of celebrities who have been arrested (sometimes on multiple occasions) for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol with celebrities including pop star Justin Bieber, actress Reese Witherspoon and many more. Now that Stamos has been charged, what can the actor expect in terms of a sentence if he is found guilty of driving under the influence? We’ll discuss why celebrities seem more prone to instances of DUI and name other celebrities who Stamos will be joining in the DUI Hall of Shame.

Felony versus a Misdemeanor DUI Charge
On the first offense, drivers can anticipate spending a least a few days in jail. Anytime someone in the United States is found to have a blood-alcohol content (B.A.C.) of more than the legal limit of 0.08% they can be charged with a misdemeanor which carries a jail sentence that can vary anywhere from 5-7 days to more than six months. The determining factor for the length of sentence is the BAC report, with higher blood alcohol limits netting longer jail sentences, even for first time offenders. Repeat offenders can receive escalating jail sentences from several months to one year in length depending on the circumstances of their arrest.

A “driving under influence” (DUI) charge that results in the injury or death of another passenger in the same vehicle, a passenger in another vehicle or a pedestrian or bystander is automatically classed as a felony offence, regardless if is the first time the driver had been charged. While sentences are always at the discretion of the local governance and presiding judge, felony DUI offenses can result in jail time as long as several years depending on the severity of the incident, number of victims and penalties are compounded if it is a repeat offense.

In some jurisdictions the sentence for repeat offenders may include driver’s education, substance abuse counselling and court ordered therapies and volunteer and community service, usually relating to victims of impaired driving depending on plea bargaining by an experienced DUI Attorney Chicago.

The DUI Hall of Shame
It seems like a common occurrence to see some celebrity starlet, movie star or public figure arrested for driving under the influence. It is often hard to empathize with the celebrity in general, as their position and affluence make it possible to make other responsible choices, including having a designated driver, limousine service or alternative transportation arranged. Celebrities have assistants, managers and other staff to facilitate better options other than getting behind the wheel of their vehicle while impaired by drugs or alcohol.

A sample of the list of celebrities charged with driving under the influence in the United States includes names most people recognize.

• Keanu Reeves – May 5, 1993
• Nicole Ritchie – December 11, 2006
• Paris Hilton – June 4, 2007
• Kiefer Sutherland – December 5, 2007
• Amanda Bynes – April 6, 2012
• Randy Travis – August 7, 2012
• Lindsay Lohan – May 26, 2007 and July 24, 2007
• Reese Witherspoon – April 19, 2013
• Justin Bieber – January 23, 2014
• Michael Phelps – November 8, 2004 and September 30, 2014

In 2014 alone, Billy Unger (Disney’s “Lab Rats”), rapper Chief Keef (who was arrested in Highland Park, Illinois near Chicago) Chris Pine (Star Trek actor) and Chris Kattan (former “Saturday Night Live” actor) were among many other celebrities charged with a DUI.

Whenever we read about another celebrity getting charged with a DUI we wonder why and how it could happen, particularly with the resources that most celebrities have at their disposal. In most cases the celebrities are intelligent, business minded people who can’t afford the bad publicity nor the threat of jail time or restrictions to their travel. So why does it happen? We’ll take a closer look at the celebrity culture and misconceptions when it comes to being “above the law” and behind the wheel.

The Business Culture and Drunk Driving in Hollywood
In Hollywood there are several factors that contribute to the number of impaired charges against celebrity drivers every year. First, the areas that are most popular for house parties or private clubs are not the easiest to get to, nor are they convenient to travel to in Las Angeles traffic. Celebrities attempting to evade paparazzi or travelling with an entourage (which often includes bodyguards but interestingly rarely includes a paid chauffeur) will arrive late to a party, and in most cases, already intoxicated.

Celebrities are frequently paid to appear at certain clubs or business locations, or private events and required to stay late. While we’d all love to have their job (getting paid to party) the evening can be a long one and when it is time to go home, there may be no one that the celebrity can trust to drive them home at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning. Having brought their own vehicle (and wanting to avoid the inconvenience of having their vehicle ticketed or towed) celebrities are likely to attempt to drive home in their own vehicles and hope for the best.

The culture of entitlement in Las Angeles for the rich and famous implies that even if they are pulled over, the celebrity assumes they will not be charged and are often enraged when that assumption is incorrect (think Reese Witherspoon). They strongly feel that they can be excused even if they are pulled over by authorities because they are famous.

Some of the most respectable and affluent celebrities in Hollywood have been charged with driving under the influence (DUI) in Hollywood and elsewhere, earning themselves a headline or two for their disregard for public safety. While it might earn the celebrities some public humiliation and disdain, it does prove that judgement is the first thing to become impaired when using drugs and alcohol, and that it can (and does) happen to anyone.

(Image credit: http://www.etonline.com/news/2015/06/24158280/640_john_stamos_dui_arrest...)