Reese Witherspoon recalls 2013 arrest with Jim Toth: Here's what really happened that night
Celebrities are human beings too but fans often forget that and put them on a pedestal. Baring out her heart, Reese Witherspoon reflected on that thought when she looked back at the controversial incident that got her and husband Jim Toth arrested.
It has been nearly seven years since the two were taken into custody in Atlanta, Georgia, under suspicion of drunken driving. Labeling it "embarrassing and dumb", Witherspoon recollected the mishap and said on Thursday's episode of 'I Weigh' with Jameela Jamil, "But, you know what — (it) turns out I breathe air. I bleed the same way. I make dumb decisions. I make great decisions. I'm just a human being."
She added, "We're all just the same as each other and we're all trying to find what our special skills are. My special skill is storytelling but that doesn't mean I'm a special person. 'But I did something really stupid. Talent doesn't make you a good person. But a big value in my family was, 'Are you a good person?'." Praising Witherspoon's stance on her public shaming, Jamil said it was "so f**king refreshing" at the time.
If you are wondering what really happened on that night, here are all the details. In 2013, Witherspoon, was in Atlanta working on a movie titled 'The Good Lie', when her husband was stopped by Georgia state trooper J Pyland on Atlanta's Peachtree Road. In a report, the cop said Toth was spotted driving in and out of his lane through the city's Buckhead community.
According to CNN, the arrest report further read that Toth's eyes were "bloodshot" and his clothing "disheveled". Pyland also wrote in the report, "After several coordination tests, he was given a breathalyzer test that registered 0.139, well above the legal limit of 0.08 for driving under the influence charge." The matter escalated when Witherspoon resisted his orders and threatened the cop, "You are going to be on national news," and she was charged with interfering in the arrest of her husband.
In the same report, Pyland wrote, "Mrs Witherspoon was resistant but I was able to put handcuffs on her without incident due to Mr Toth calming her." She then went on to threaten him further. "Do you know my name?" she allegedly asked him. When he said, "No, I don't need to know your name," she blasted at him, "You're about to find out who I am."
Their car was seized and the husband-wife duo was taken to the Atlanta city jail, the report said. They were accompanied by an unidentified passenger in the back seat, who later caught a cab. A video of the scuffle was posted online soon after the incident and it was splashed all across media outlets.
The couple was bailed out of jail the next morning. Soon after, Reese expressed her regret over the incident and apologized. "I clearly had one drink too many and I am deeply embarrassed about the things I said," she said in a statement. "It was definitely a scary situation and I was frightened for my husband, but that is no excuse. I was disrespectful to the officer who was just doing his job. I have nothing but respect for the police and I'm very sorry for my behavior."
According to reports, Witherspoon did not contest her charge and was ordered to pay a $213 fine. Meanwhile, Toth pleaded guilty and completed 40 hours of community service. along with an alcohol education course.