EXCLUSIVE: PARIS BUSTED FOR DUI
Paris Hilton was arrested in Hollywood early Thursday and charged with driving under the influence.
TMZ has learned LAPD officers noticed Paris driving her Mercedes McLaren SLR erratically at 12:31 AM and stopped her. They believed she exhibited signs of intoxication. We're told they administered a field sobriety test, and Paris blew a .08. In California, driving with a .08 blood alcohol level is the minimum level for DUI.
Paris was arrested and taken to the LAPD Hollywood division, where she was booked. The officers who stopped the car did not know it was Paris Hilton until they approached the vehicle on foot. Police sources say she was cooperative. Paris had a passenger in the car -- Kimberly Stewart, Rod Stewart's daughter.
Nicky Hilton, her boyfriend, "Entourage" star Kevin Connolly and her publicist Elliot Mintz arrived at the Hollywood police station just before 2 AM PST. A short time later, Paris was released on her own recognizance and allowed to leave (Note: The law enforcement booking document says she posted bail. That is incorrect. She did not).
Cops took a booking photo, which an LAPD spokesperson says will not be released. An LAPD source would not confirm if Paris glammed it up for the camera, but revealed "It doesn't look like Nick Nolte."
Mintz told TMZ that Paris had attended a charity event earlier in the evening. He said she had a single drink -- a margarita -- the entire evening and shortly thereafter she was stopped. She was asked to take a breathalyzer test when she was stopped and cooperated. She took a second test at the station. For the record, TMZ is told Paris is 5'9" and weighs 110 lbs.
TMZ spoke with Paris as she was driving home from jail, stopping for Parliament Lights cigarettes en route. She says she "regrets it occurred," and adds that she has been up for 24 hours, having shot a music video all day. (TMZ had exclusive access to the music video set and our video will be posted in a few hours.) Paris says she had nothing to eat and no rest the entire day.
TMZ spoke with Lt. Russ Wong, the watch commander on duty at the Hollywood station. He tells TMZ Paris received no special treatment, however he acknowledges he did not hold her at the station for the standard minimum of three hours. Lt. Wong says he released her after an hour and a half because a gaggle of paparazzi appeared at the station and posed a significant traffic hazard which he needed to abate. Lt. Wong says it's SOP to release a first-time DUI suspect without bail if a responsible party is there to drive them home -- Elliot Mintz was that party.
Driving under the influence is a misdemeanor. If convicted, the defendant will not be jailed, will be given three months' probation, and will be ordered to enter an alcohol program and will have his or her license restricted for 90 days.<
