Last Updated on June 3, 2025
Drunk driving is one of the most commonly committed crimes in America, and celebrities are just as likely to drive under the influence as the general populace. While you may feel all alone when you have been charged with a DUI, remember that many people (including some of the most famous people in the world) have also been charged with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. While this list of famous drunk driving cases shouldn’t inspire anyone to follow in the footsteps of their favorite celebrities, it’s a reminder that anyone can be charged with driving under the influence, no matter how rich or famous they are.
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Justin Timberlake: Chemical Test Refusal
Officers spotted Timberlake running a stop sign and failing to stay in his lane while driving in Sag Harbor, New York. Upon pulling him over, they saw that he had glassy eyes, slurred speech, a poor attention span, difficulty smelling, and he smelled like alcohol. Timberlake told officers he had only one martini, but refused to take a chemical DWI test. If he actually only had one drink, he may have tested below the legal limit, but refusing may have made it harder for him to fight the charges.
Unfortunately for Timberlake, New York has an implied consent law that requires drivers to submit to these tests or suffer an automatic license suspension that will still apply even if the driver is found innocent in their criminal DUI trial. While the singer/actor’s attorney says he plans to fight the charges in court, this will be more challenging because the prosecution can present his refusal to take a chemical test as evidence against him.
Tiffany Haddish: 2 DUIs in a Row
In November of 2023, Haddish was found asleep in a running car parked in front of the driveway of a Beverly Hills home. While the actress claims her BAC at the time was only .03%, she was charged with having a DUI above 0.08% and a DUI charge for driving under the influence regardless of the driver’s BAC. Fortunately, she was able to secure a plea deal for a misdemeanor wet reckless instead.
The actress says she no longer drinks after the experience, which is probably a good thing, because she was charged with a similar offense in Georgia in 2022. That case is still making its way through the courts, as her lawyer claims the officers who stopped her vehicle lacked reasonable suspicion to stop her vehicle. Her defense will be more difficult as the judge ordered her to avoid using any drugs or alcohol before she was arrested for the Beverly Hills incident.
Amanda Bynes: Hit and Run and Multiple DUI Charges
Being a child star isn’t easy, but police still won’t let you use that as an excuse for sideswiping a patrol car while driving under the influence of drugs. Unfortunately for Amanda Bynes, that’s exactly what happened to her in 2012. Before the charges were resolved, she racked up multiple hit-and-run charges and was charged with driving without a license. Shockingly, all the charges were dropped with the exception of the DUI, for which was only sentenced to three years probation and DUI classes.
The child celebrity was then arrested for a second DUI only two years later. Those charges were later dropped, and she was then charged with a probation violation, though the district attorney declined to press charges.
Justin Bieber: Illegal Racing DUI
Some celebrities are particularly notable when it comes to the circumstances of their DUIs. For example, Justin Bieber was stopped for illegal racing in Miami Beach in 2014. While Bieber was not drunk, he did have marijuana and Xanax in his system when he was pulled over. To make matters worse, he was also accused of evading police and driving with an invalid license.
His case was settled in a plea bargain that required the Biebs to pay $50,000 to a youth charity and plead guilty to careless driving (a less serious form of reckless driving in Florida) and resisting arrest. He also had to attend anger management counseling and a drunk driving program. All things considered, Bieber got off pretty lightly, given the charges he could have faced.
Tiger Woods: Prescription Medication DUI
Tiger Woods was not under the influence of alcohol or even illegal drugs when police stopped him. Even so, when they pulled behind his already-stopped vehicle, it was evident that something was not right. His Mercedes was in the right traffic lane with the right blinker flashing. The two tires on the right side of the vehicle were flat, and the rims had suffered damage, along with the driver’s side front bumper area. The engine was running, but Woods was completely asleep behind the wheel.
Woods willingly answered police questions and submitted to a handheld portable breathalyzer and field sobriety tests. He told police he had suffered an unexpected reaction to prescription drugs, including the opiate Vicodin. Unfortunately, that is not a legal defense for DUI, as you cannot legally drive while under the influence of a drug that can impact your driving ability.
When his bloodwork was tested after his arrest, the results came back positive for Vicodin, morphine, Xanax, Ambien, and marijuana —a serious combination of drugs that are unsafe for use while driving.
Lucky for Woods, he was able to enter a diversion program that would allow the charges to be dropped after he completed a year-long probation program involving DUI classes, community service, and a DUI impact panel.
Lindsay Lohan: Two DUIs and Drug Possession
Lindsay Lohan is perhaps the best-known of all celebrities with two or more DUIs. She has also been in trouble repeatedly after failing to uphold the terms of her probation.
She was first arrested for drunk driving in May of 2007 and was voluntarily fitted with a SCRAM sobriety monitor ankle bracelet. Only a few months later, she was again arrested for drunk driving, along with felony possession of cocaine and driving on a suspended license. She pleaded guilty to misdemeanor cocaine use and a second DUI and was sentenced to one day in jail, community service, an alcohol education program, and three years of probation.
In October of 2009, her probation was extended for another year after she repeatedly failed to uphold the terms of probation, including appearing at scheduled court appearances and her alcohol program. After missing another court date and a DUI progress hearing, in May 2010, she was sentenced to 90 days in jail and 90 days in an inpatient rehab program. In September 2010, her probation was revoked after she failed a drug test.
What Celebrity Has the Most DUI Arrests?
That could be Keifer Sutherland, who has been arrested and charged with drunk driving four times, though he has only been convicted twice. In 1989, he was arrested for drunk driving, reckless driving, carrying a concealed weapon, and carrying a loaded firearm in a public place. All but the reckless driving charges were dismissed. In 1993, he was again arrested on suspicion of DUI and, once again, pleaded the charges down to reckless driving.
In 2004, he was successfully convicted of driving under the influence, followed by a second DUI conviction in 2007. He was sentenced to 48 days in jail for the second offense, 18 for violating his probation from the prior charge, and 30 for the DUI itself. While this sentence is fairly typical for a second drunk driving conviction, what was atypical is the fact that the court allowed him to serve his sentence in segments so he could continue working on the season of 24 that was filming at the time.
Interestingly, he seems to have been arrested a fifth time for DUI in 2020; however, there is very little information available regarding the outcome of that case.
While stars with DUIs are common, they are also charged with many crimes aside from drunk driving, including domestic violence and homicide. Remember that you don’t need to be rich and famous to afford the kind of top-quality representation you can get from someone like attorney Peter M. Liss. If you have been accused of driving under the influence, please call (760) 643-4050 to schedule a free initial consultation.
