When John Stamos was charged with driving under the influence in California recently, he became one more person on the list of celebrities who drink and drive.
He was pulled over in June of this year for driving erratically, and once he was stopped he was taken to the hospital where he was treated for a medical condition. Now, months later, charges of driving under the influence have finally been levied against him by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
If he’s convicted of DUI, Stamos will face penalties associated with misdemeanor for a first DUI conviction. That includes $1,000 fine, a six-month drivers license suspension, and a mandatory ignition interlock on any vehicle he drives.
DUI in California can mean the driver is either under the influence of alcohol or he was under the influence of drugs, and it’s been speculated that Stamos was under the influence of prescription drugs and not alcohol. According to California DUI law, that won’t matter when it comes to charging him. The use of controlled substances is prohibited when operating a motor vehicle, just like alcohol.
Stamos has a lot of company when it comes to celebrities who drink and drive. The list includes Lindsay Lohan, someone who was charged twice in 2007 and once in 2009, and Keifer Sutherland, who was charged 4 times between 1989 and 2007. Why do they do it? It’s hard to say, but these are people who live a privileged life where drinking and driving may just be another thing they think they can do that the average person can’t.
Over 10,000 people died due to DUI in 2013, so whether or not these celebrities think it through or believe they’re above the law when they do it, it’s still dangerous and being famous won’t protect you if you drink and drive.