Myrtle Beach is full of people out to have fun and enjoy a good time, but some unwisely choose to get behind the wheel of a car after an evening at a club or bar. Drunk driving charges can be quite common even if they can carry severe penalties. On May 17, music star Mac Miller was arrested on drunk driving charges in California after he reportedly ran into a utility pole in the San Fernando Valley before driving away.
Miller, a 26-year-old rapper, is accused of driving his Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon into the power pole in the early morning hours. The celebrity performer allegedly drove away from the scene at the time, but he was arrested shortly thereafter at his home. His visible license plates were matched to his home address by the Los Angeles Police Department. After he was taken into custody and charged with drunk driving, he was held on $15,000 bail. After paying the bond, he was released with a scheduled court appearance on June 7.
The celebrity reportedly told police that he had hit the pole in the one-car crash after he had driven while drunk. One source said that Miller’s blood-alcohol concentration was .15, well above California’s legal limit of .08. Miller has spoken before about his struggles with alcohol and sobriety, saying that he had worked hard on his addiction issues in 2015 in an interview. The arrest came shortly after news sites reported that Miller had split with his girlfriend.
People who are accused of drunk driving can face serious consequences as a result. DUI convictions could lead to the loss of a person’s driving privileges, costly fines and even jail time. A criminal defense lawyer may be able to provide a defense to these charges before trial and in the courtroom.