On this day in 1989, 20-year-old actor Christian Slater is arrested for drunk driving in Los Angeles, California. He had a blood-alcohol level of .24, or .24 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood--three times the legal limit in California. Slater's arrest came after a predawn car chase--he was driving 50 MPH in a 35-MPH zone--that ended when he crashed his Saab into a tree. He spent 10 days in jail.

Slater is certainly not the only celebrity to be caught drunk driving. In 2006, actor Mel Gibson's blood-alcohol level was .12 when the police pulled him over for speeding in Malibu, California. In that year alone, Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie were cited for driving under the influence, as were actors Rip Torn, Haley Joel Osment, and Tracy Morgan and boxer Mike Tyson. Other celebrity DUI arrestees include swimmer Michael Phelps, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa and basketball player Carmelo Anthony.



This Day in History December 29th: Actor Christian Slater arrested for drunk driving

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