Olympic bong toker Michael Phelps is in trouble with the law again. On Sept. 30, he was pulled over for speeding and then arrested for DUI on I-395 in Baltimore, where he spent the night at the Horseshoe Casino.
The swimmer, who has won a record 18 gold medals, was stopped at the toll plaza after passing through the Fort McHenry Tunnel heading southbound on I-395 at 1:40 am. Police clocked his 2014 white Land Rover at 84 mph in a 45 mph zone. They claim he also crossed the double line several times while in the tunnel.
Phelps "appeared to be under the influence," according to a statement issued by the Maryland Transit Authority Police. "He was unable to perform satisfactorily a series of standard field sobriety tests." His blood-alcohol level was .14 (the legal limit is .08).
In 2004, when he was 19, Phelps was charged with DUI after a stop in Salisbury, Maryland. He paid a $250 fine and was placed on 18 months of probation.
Update: On Dec. 19, Phelps pled guilty to drunk driving and was sentenced to 18 months of probation, just like in 2004. Since the arrest, he attended a 45-day program in Arizona and will continue with treatment and AA counseling in Maryland for at least another six months.
On Oct. 7, USA Swimming suspended Phelps for six months, which will prevent him from participating in next year's world championships. He'll also enter a six-week treatmnt program.
Phelps: 'I recognize that this is not my first lapse in judgment, and I am extremely disappointed with myself. I'm going to take some time away to attend a program that will provide the help I need to better understand myself. Swimming is a major part of my life, but right now I need to focus my attention on me as an individual, and do the necessary work to learn from this experience and make better decisions in the future.'
In 2009, a photo was published of Phelps clearly taking a bong hit at a frat party at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, which earned him Top CelebStoner status. He was suspended for three months by USA Swimming after that infraction.
