Sponsored message
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts & Entertainment

Here's Reese Witherspoon's Eye Contact-Avoiding Mugshot

This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.

When you hear someone famous has been arrested in Atlanta, you imagine that the word famous is being over-generously applied to a member of "The Real Housewives." But today it was revealed that Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon was arrested for disorderly conduct on Friday—because she was complaining about how long it was taking a cop to arrest her husband for DUI.

Witherspoon has been in Atlanta filming "The Good Lie." Just after midnight on Friday, Witherspoon's husband, Jim Toth, was pulled over (with Witherspoon in the car): Variety reports, a police officer "witnessed weaving across a double line on Atlanta's Peachtree St. Toth appeared disheveled and his breath smelled of alcohol, according to the police report, prompting the officer to administer a sobriety test."

The police report said, "Mrs. Witherspoon began to hang out the window and say that she did not believe that I was a real police officer. I told Mrs. Witherspoon to sit on her butt and be quiet." When Toth was arrested for DUI, Witherspoon got out of the car. Though the cop said she should get in the car, the actress "stated that she was a ‘US citizen’ and that she was allowed to ‘stand on American ground.’"

She also said, "Do you know my name?" When the cop said, "No, I don't need to know your name," to which Witherspoon allegedly retorted, "You're about to find out who I am ... You are going to be on national news." The cop stated in the police report, "I advised Mrs. Witherspoon that was fine." Police arrested Witherspoon when she exited the car a second time—they even cuffed her because she "disobeyed multiple orders to stay in the car."

According to TMZ, "As for Toth's part of the arrest ... the officer in the report described him by saying his 'eye lids were droopy' and his eyes were 'blood shot and watery.' The officer said he smelled a 'strong odor' of alcohol coming from Toth." Toth allegedly said he had one drink hours earlier but allegedly blew a 0.139 on the Breathalyzer; the legal limit is 0.08.

The couple, who married in 2011, was seen in New York City today.

The pair have a court date tomorrow, but Variety says, "Witherspoon and Toth aren't expected to appear, according to sources. Their attorney is expected to request that court date be postponed."

Sponsored message

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.

Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.

If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.

Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today