Arrests

We can't quite put our finger on it ... but there was something strange about our encounter with "Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius in Los Angeles back in October ... something ... creepy.

On the surface, he was totally polite with our camera guy as he left dinner at Mercato di Vetro with a friend ... answering questions about his running style.

Notably NOT present during the run-in -- Reeva Steenkamp ... who was gunned down in Oscar's South Africa home early Thursday morning. It's unclear if they were dating at the time.

Oscar Pistorius -- the Olympian now accused of murdering his model girlfriend -- was never violent toward her in the past -- this according to a source who worked closely with the victim in her modeling career.

The source tells TMZ ... she was with Reeva Steenkamp "a lot" during the months she was dating Pistorius and insists Steenkamp never mentioned or even insinuated there were issues of violence.

Our source says Steenkamp's family is in "absolute shock" because they never saw anything that would lead to harm.

The source -- who was frequently around Pistorius during the time he was dating Steenkamp -- says, she never saw a dark side -- to the contrary he was a "sweet guy."

The cops say there were previous domestic incidents at Pistorius' home, but they did not say the incidents involved Steenkamp.

Rapper Jim Jones was arrested in New Jersey earlier today ... after cops say he "got out of line" with a police officer who was trying to deal with a parking situation.

According to police, Jones confronted an officer who was responding to a complaint about an illegally parked car in front of Jim's home.

Cops say the officer ran Jim's name through the system and noticed two warrants out for the rapper's arrest -- one for a motor vehicle violation and the other for failure to remove snow from his sidewalk ... apparently, that's a crime in NJ.

According to the Fair Lawn Patch, Jones denied the existence of the warrants and became disorderly with the officer ... so the cop put him under arrest for disorderly conduct and obstruction.

Jim was taken to a nearby station where he was booked.

DMX should know if he, of all people, drives a car without a driver's license ... he's going to end up in handcuffs -- and that's exactly what happened this morning in South Carolina.

The rapper was handcuffed and taken to Spartanburg Detention Center around 2AM ... after an officer saw him driving a 1978 Buick (sweet) and pulled him over for allegedly driving without a license.

DMX spoke to the local FOX station as he left the police station and said, "No, I didn't have a license ... put the cuffs on me. Brought me here. I paid the money. Basically, just 5 hours wasted for nothing."

And there's this DMX bonus -- his 5-month-old daughter was in the back seat during the whole incident.

The night before "Storage Wars" star Mark Balelo took his own life ... he compared himself to another reality star who killed himself -- "Real Housewives" star Russell Armstrong ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to Balelo tell us ... the A&E star was extremely concerned about his recent drug arrest -- and was worried that it would affect his future on the show.

We're told Balelo was very stressed out ... and said he could sympathize with Armstrong ... who committed suicide after reports surfaced that he physically abused his wife and had fallen in deep financial trouble.

Balelo said he "understood" why Armstrong would resort to such drastic action ... because the thought of public humiliation was too much for him to handle.

Larry Bird's 21-year-old son Conner Bird was arrested by Indiana University campus police Sunday after allegedly attacking his GF and trying to hit her with his car.

According to campus police, the alleged victim told cops Bird chucked a cell phone at her during an argument at Bird's apartment ... and it struck her in the wrist.

Later that night, the woman says she got into Bird's car to head to the stadium when they started arguing AGAIN -- and she got out of the car to walk home.

But according to the woman, Bird began to chase her through the parking lot in his car -- trying to run her over.

The woman says she got help from another person who happened to be in the parking lot -- and they flagged down a cop.

Campus police quickly located Bird -- and he was arrested for intimidation with a deadly weapon, criminal mischief, battery with injury, possession of marijuana, and possession of paraphernalia.

The moron who crashed the stage at The Grammys -- only to get kicked off stage by Jennifer Lopez on live TV -- was arrested for trespassing directly following the awards show ... and it's not the dumbest stunt he's ever pulled.

The idiot who wound up in handcuffs is Vitalii Sediuk ... the same dumbass who got slapped in the face by Will Smith last year (and rightfully so) when he tried to surprise the actor with a kiss on the lips on a red carpet.

During the Grammys, Sediuk somehow weaseled his way backstage ... and when Adele was announced as the winner for Best Pop Solo Performance ... Vitalii rushed to the podium and tried to grab the mic from presenter Jennifer Lopez.

Sediuk managed to get out a few words ... saying, "Thank you, Adele. You’re my inspiration” ... but Lopez quickly ripped the mic back and shooed him offstage.

Directly following the show, cops arrested Sediuk for trespassing -- and he spent the night in a jail cell ... this according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Sediuk told THR he's just a prankster and meant no harm -- adding, "I’m not a crazy guy. I just think differently."

"Storage Wars" star Mark Balelo killed himself today by carbon monoxide poisoning ... TMZ has learned.

Multiple sources close to Balelo tell us he was found dead in his car ... which was parked and running in the garage at his auction house in Simi Valley, CA.

According to our sources, Balelo had been arrested for a drug-related offense on Saturday.

We're told when Balelo got out of jail he was distraught, and asked his fiancée to come over because he was afraid he might hurt himself.

We're told they met at his office on Sunday, they talked for a few hours, he took a 4 hour nap -- and when he woke up seemed better.

The fiancée left Balelo at the office Sunday evening. We're told one of Balelo's employees found his body Monday morning.

Balelo appeared on a handful of "Storage Wars" episodes over the past few seasons.

The "Buckwild" star who was busted in a drug raid was cowering in a shed when the you-know-what hit the fan, and cops allegedly hauled in a bunch of drugs and money ... TMZ has learned.

The Police Chief in Summersville, West Virginia tells us officers arrested Salwa Amin and 2 other men after an extensive day of surveillance.

According to the chief, his drug task force got a tip that a "shipment" would be delivered to the home in Nicholas County sometime on Sunday.

The chief says they observed a lot of foot traffic coming in and out of the house -- and says the people were only staying for very brief periods of time ... so they immediately obtained a search warrant, and then launched the raid.

Salwa, Shawn L. Booker and Jason D. Jones -- who owns the home -- were found hiding in a shed in the backyard, according to the chief.

We're told Salwa had a "quantity of Oxycodone" in her purse -- and Booker had a "large amount of money" on him.

Additionally, police say they found 3 separate packages of heroin in the shed. They were unclear about a specific quantity of the drugs.

According to police, Jones rolled over on Salwa and Booker ... claiming they transported the drugs to his house with intent to distribute.

Forget Super Bowl rings ... New York Giants star David Diehl just earned some new hardware -- a SCRAM bracelet ... after pleading guilty to DUI ... TMZ has learned.

As we reported, Diehl was busted last June in Queens after he crashed into a parked car -- and according to the D.A. his blood alcohol level was .182 ... more than twice the legal limit in New York.

Diehl pled guilty today to aggravated DUI and impaired driving.

Diehl was ordered to wear a SCRAM bracelet -- to monitor his alcohol consumption -- for 90 days and was placed on a 6-month conditional discharge program ... meaning he'll avoid jail if he keeps his nose clean.

8:15 AM PT -- According to the Nicholas County Magistrate Court, Salwa Amin will post $200,000 bond for two counts of drug possession with intent to deliver. One count for oxycodone, the other for HEROIN.

Salwa Amin -- one of the stars of the MTV show "Buckwild" -- was arrested early this morning on a felony drug charge in West Virginia.

Amin was popped for drug possession with intent to deliver -- a felony. She's scheduled to be arraigned later this morning.

Driving while under the influence of a sleeping pill isn't just dangerous ... it's against the law ... and now the original drummer for the band Korn will pay the price, after pleading guilty to DUI.

We broke the story ... David Silveria -- who played with the band from 1993 to 2006 -- was arrested in Huntington Beach, CA back in March after rear-ending another car and allegedly fleeing the scene while under the influence of a sleeping pill.

Silveria admitted he was driving while artificially tired ... and was charged with DUI and hit and run.

Earlier this week, the rocker struck a deal with prosecutors ... in which he pled guilty to the DUI charge ... and in exchange, prosecutors dropped the hit and run charge.

As far as his punishment ... Silveria was sentenced to 3 years of informal probation, a 3-month first offender program, and he must attend a M.A.D.D. victim impact panel.

73-year-old Oscar-nominated actor James Cromwell was arrested this morning at the University of Wisconsin -- after bursting into a board meeting ... claiming the school tortures cats in the name of science.

Cromwell was arrested with PETA spokesman Jeremy Beckham, who accompanied Cromwell on the protest ambush.

PETA posted video of the protest ... in which Cromwell and Beckham burst into a UW System Board of Regents meeting, shouting and holding signs showing a cat with metal implanted in its head at a UW-Madison lab.

PETA has claimed 30 cats a year at UW-Madison are starved, deafened, and decapitated for brain research that hasn't accomplished its goals of improving human hearing. The university denies the accusations.

During the protest, Cromwell shouted, "This is not science. This is cruel!" Beckham then went limp and dropped to the floor in front of the regents, holding the cat torture sign over his head.

The regents were obviously taken aback by the sudden distraction, but no one responded to Cromwell or Beckham.

A University spokesperson said police showed up shortly after and dragged Beckham out of the room. Cromwell was escorted out in handcuffs. The meeting immediately resumed.

The UW spokesperson said both men were taken to a nearby jail and are expected to be charged with disorderly conduct.

The director of the UW–Madison Research Animal Resources Center released a statement following the protest, saying, "Today's events are just another attempt by outside activists to draw attention to a cause. They have attacked and distorted this research -- which has very real benefits for people who are deaf -- from every angle imaginable."

The director added, "Exhaustive independent investigation by the USDA, which regulates the use of animals in research, concluded that PETA's allegations are baseless."

Colorado Rockies superstar Todd Helton -- who once signed a $141.5 MILLION contract -- was arrested for DUI while trying to drunkenly buy LOTTERY TICKETS ... this according to cops.

TMZ obtained the police report filed by the Thornton Police Department after the 39-year-old slugger was popped at a gas station in Colorado early Wednesday morning.

According to the report, cops tracked down Helton after receiving a tip that Todd's black Ford F-150 had struck a median and then parked at a nearby gas station.

When cops arrived to the scene, police say they saw Helton stumbling out of the gas station -- stinking of booze -- and clutching lottery tickets in his hand.

Cops say Helton denied striking a median ... but "made spontaneous statements about drinking two igloo cups of red wine."

Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton was arrested for DUI this morning -- and TMZ has the mug shot.

According to the police report, 39-year-old Helton was busted at 2:39 AM on 3 counts of drunk driving just outside of Denver.

Cops say Helton was cooperative.

A rep for the Rockies released a statement saying the MLB superstar "clearly understands the seriousness of his poor decision."

Helton -- a former All-Star -- was once considered one of the best hitters in baseball.

Helton just released a statement saying, "Last evening I exercised poor judgment and was charged with drinking and driving after driving to a gas station near my house. I am very sorry and embarrassed by my actions."

"I hold myself to a high standard and take my responsibility as a public figure very seriously. My entire career I have worked to set a positive example for my family and in our community and I fell far short of this standard."

Finally some good fortune in the London family -- relatively speaking -- TMZ has learned, domestic violence charges against Jason London's brother Jeremy London have just been dismissed.

Jeremy struck a plea deal with prosecutors in the case, in which they agreed to dismiss the two charges against him -- domestic violence and disturbing the peace -- if Jeremy showed proof he completed 20 anger management classes.

Jeremy's attorney showed proof of completion this week -- and as promised, the charges were dropped.

TMZ broke the story ... Jeremy was charged in January 2012 over a fight with his baby mama in which he allegedly pulled her hair and hit her on the side of the head.