Vince Vaughn convicted for reckless driving in DUI case, avoids jail after no contest plea
Actor Vince Vaughn has been convicted of reckless driving after his arrest for failing a drunken driving test last year. An attorney for the 49-year-old 'Wedding Crashers' star entered a no contest plea to the misdemeanor count Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Vaughn was arrested on June 10, 2018, at a sobriety checkpoint in the upscale community of Manhattan Beach, California. Police say he repeatedly refused to get out of his car and then failed a field sobriety test and a blood alcohol test.
On May 3, Vaughn was sentenced to three years of unsupervised probation and ordered to complete a three-month alcohol program. He was advised that if he drives drunk and kills someone he could be charged with murder. Vaughn's attorney Blair Berk declined to comment after the hearing.
Previously, Vaughn was looking at a potential year in country jail if found guilty under the initial charges from last year, that included the combined misdemeanors of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, driving with .08 percent blood alcohol content or higher, refusing to comply with an officer and refusing to submit to an inspection.
Those charges were however culled down to just a reckless driving misdemeanor in exchange for the most recent plea made by his attorney. The news comes after it was announced that Vaughn will be receiving the United States Army Meritorious Public Service Medal, which happens to be that military branch’s third-highest civilian honor.
Vaughn is to be honored with the medal during the annual Army Ball June 8 at the Westin Hotel in Long Beach, California. Vaughn is expected to receive the honor for recounting soldiers' stories in the Mel Gibson’s film, 'Hacksaw Ridge,' where he played a supporting role.
Vaughn will also be recognized for his lasting contributions to U.S. service members’ morale. So far, the actor has carried out three USO tours, where he visited numerous military bases and also held special screenings of films.
(With inputs from Associated Press.)
