Arrests

73-year-old "Babe" star James Cromwell got off easy after his disorderly conduct arrest last month ... when he burst into a UW-Madison board meeting, protesting cat torture at the university.

Cromwell's case was called today in Wisconsin where he pled no contest to a low level charge of disorderly conduct. His punishment is a measly $100 fine, which he paid on the spot.

As we reported, Cromwell was busted along with a PETA spokesperson after they barged into the board meeting, claiming the school's labs tortured cats in the name of science. Cromwell waved a sign with a photo of an abused cat, and shouted, "This is not science! This is cruel!"

A rep for the D.A. tells us, prosecutors went easy because the duration of yelling wasn’t particularly long, he cooperated with law enforcement, no one in the room was really disturbed by the protest, and he had no criminal history.

And it WAS kinda funny.

Too Short will NOT be prosecuted for felony drug possession ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

We broke the story ... Too Short was arrested Wednesday for DUI. He made a failed attempt to escape (see video below) and was taken to jail, where cops say they found drugs in the back of the black and white. He was booked for felony drug possession.

We've learned ... the L.A. County District Attorney has REJECTED the felony drug case, because cops only found a very small amount of drugs -- which they say is meth. Given that Short does not have a felony record, the D.A. decided not to prosecute and sent the case over to the L.A. City Attorney for misdemeanor review.

We're told the City Attorney will look at the case ... probably next week.

FYI ... Short insists he was not in possession of drugs, and whatever was found in the back of the cop car was left by the prior arrestee who involuntarily hitched a ride to the pokey.

New York Yankees slugger Andruw Jones is battling his estranged wife for custody of their son -- claiming he's the better parent ... just two months after he was popped for domestic violence.

Nicole Jones filed for divorce from Andruw back in January -- one week after the MLB star was arrested for allegedly dragging her through the garage and choking her. Charges are pending.

In the divorce docs, Nicole -- who was married to Jones for 10 years -- asked for primary physical custody of their 9-year-old son AND to have the prenup voided.

Now, Andruw has fired back in his own docs ... claiming HE should get primary physical custody, and not only that ... he shouldn't have to pony up a dime in child support.

An arrest warrant has been issued for rapper Gucci Mane after a soldier claims he tried to get a picture with Mane, but instead was hit over the head with a bottle.

The soldier (only identified as James) told WSBTV in Atlanta that he saw Mane at a club on March 25. James says he went over to the VIP area where Mane was hanging out and asked the security guard if he could get a photo with Mane.

James claims he was talking to the security guard and explaining that he was in the military when Mane hit him in the head with a bottle. James says his head wound required 10 stitches.

James says he is in the Army and was stationed in Afghanistan until last October.

It's our favorite video of the month -- and it's the 21st! Too Short trying in vain to flee from cops during his DUI arrest early Wednesday morning.

TMZ broke the story ... the rapper was popped for DUI in Hollywood and later booked on drug possession as well.

During the field sobriety test, Short is chatting with a couple of cops and then suddenly books it, but trips on the sidewalk and is subdued within seconds.

Short's rep says he ran because the rapper has had bad run-ins with law enforcement.

A former NFL cheerleader has been charged with aggravated sexual battery after allegedly grabbing a 12-year-old boy's penis outside his pants ... and attempting to perform oral sex on him.

42-year-old Elizabeth Garner -- who cheered for the Tennessee Titans until 2009 -- was also charged with solicitation of a minor for rape of a child.

According to law enforcement, Garner -- who is married -- is accused of following the 12-year-old to the bathroom during a party last month hosted by the boy's mother, grabbing his penis over his shorts ... and attempting to remove them in order to perform oral sex on him.

The boy escaped, told his mother what happened ... and the mother then informed authorities. According to police, the boy said Garner asked if he'd ever been with a woman.

During a police interview, cops claim Garner willingly admitted she approached the boy ... but said she was drunk and had confused him with an (adult) man at the party. (We'll see how that defense pans out.)

Too Short says he's been taken for a ride -- in a filthy black and white littered with contraband ... and cops are now falsely accusing him of hiding drugs in the backseat.

TMZ broke the story ... Short was popped for DUI early Wednesday. Police say when they arrived at the cop shop they found hard drugs in the backseat and Too Short is now taking the rap.

Two law enforcement sources tell us the drug in question is meth ... at least according to preliminary tests. However, sources connected to the case tell TMZ ... the drug will almost certainly turn out to be Ecstasy which was possibly laced with meth.

But Short's rep, David Weintraub, tells TMZ ... the rapper was clean in the drug department, adding, "Short was diligently searched and cuffed prior to being placed in the disgustingly filthy patrol car."

And the rep goes on ... "It was 3 AM, the cop car smelled like vomit and was littered with remnants from prior arrests of the evening." Translation: A miscreant with a penchant for meth dropped his load in the backseat.

But LAPD cops tell us ... the protocol is to thoroughly search the patrol car -- including the backseat -- after every arrest.

As for why Too Short fled on foot after he was initially suspected of DUI, the rep tells us, "In the past, Short, like many others, has been mistreated by law enforcement and these unfortunate prior incidents led to the complications after the stop."

One more thing ... Too Short's rep wants to make it clear to the easy listening crowd, "Any assertion that Short was carrying powder is ridiculous! Every rap fan knows Short's into weed."

Farrah Abraham from "Teen Mom" fought cops tooth and nail -- but mostly tooth -- when she was arrested for DUI in Nebraska ... repeatedly biting the breathalyzer, according to the arresting officers.

TMZ obtained a copy of the Omaha PD arrest report, and in it the officer says the whole incident began when Farrah swerved in her vehicle and nearly hit another police car!

After seeing signs Farrah was impaired, the report states she was placed in the backseat of a police cruiser where she sat "banging her head against the window while yelling and screaming."

Police say Farrah also tried to simply walk away from the officers before they slapped the 'cuffs on her.

But best of all ... police say when they took Farrah to the station for booking they attempted to give her a breathalyzer test 3 times -- but she repeatedly "put her teeth onto the tube and didn't provide a sufficient sample."

Rapper Too Short literally has no idea what happened this morning ... because on his way out of jail, he couldn't figure out what the hell he was arrested for.

We spoke to Too Short moments after he was released, and the rapper was utterly baffled by the booking sheet in his hands -- which only listed a felony narcotics possession charge.

Too Short said, "I thought it was a DUI. This says possession ... I'm confused, man."

Fact is ... cops tend to book people on the highest charge -- in this case felony narcotics possession -- and then leave the remaining charges to the D.A.'s office, however it decides to prosecute. In other words, Too Short could still face a DUI charge in addition to drug possession.

TMZ broke the story ... Short was arrested early this AM in L.A. on suspicion of DUI and narcotics possession, after he was pulled over for some traffic violation ... and allegedly took off running.

Rapper Too Short has just been arrested for DUI ... after allegedly attempting to run from police, TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Short -- real name Todd Anthony Shaw -- was pulled over in L.A. a couple hours ago for some traffic violation ... and when cops approached the vehicle, he appeared under the influence.

Now here's where it gets weird -- when police attempted to administer a breathalyzer test, law enforcement sources tell us Too Short took off ... and tripped as he ran down the street.

Police got their man and placed him under arrest ... then tossed him into a police cruiser.

On the way back to the station, things got even crazier -- we're told Too Short tried to dump narcotics in the back of the cruiser.

Our sources say Too Short blew a .09 ... just over the .08 legal limit.

According to law enforcement sources, Too Short is currently being booked for DUI and felony narcotics possession.

And the "Single Mother of the Year" award goes to ... "Teen Mom" star Farrah Abraham, who was busted for DUI Monday night in Nebraska ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement tells us ... 21-year-old Abraham -- who first appeared on "Teen Mom" back in 2009 -- was pulled over in Omaha just after 1AM after hanging a wide turn ... and nearly hitting a police cruiser.

Cops administered the standard field sobriety test -- and we're told Abraham tanked ... blowing a .147 on a breathalyzer ... nearly twice the legal limit in the Cornhusker State.

The good news ... we're told Abraham's 4-year-old daughter was NOT in the car at the time of her arrest.

Baby steps.

"I Like That" singer Houston -- who famously suffered an emotional breakdown in 2005 and gouged his own eye out with a fork -- has had a change in fortune ... because TMZ has learned, he just got off easy in his DUI case.

TMZ broke the story ... Houston was arrested last year near Malibu after cops say he was driving erratically in his SUV. When cops approached the vehicle, they claim it smelled of marijuana ... and Houston looked drugged out ... so they placed him under arrest.

But last week, the DUI charge was reduced to a minor traffic infraction ... and the $100 fine was suspended ... meaning Houston pretty much got off scot-free. It's unclear why the charge was reduced.

As for Houston's 2005 breakdown -- the singer reportedly first attempted suicide by jumping out of a window while under the influence of PCP. His friends stopped him, but when they locked him in a first-floor room, Houston gouged his eye out with a plastic fork.

UFC star Nick Diaz sure made everyone THINK he was thrown in jail this weekend when he posted a pic of himself in front of a cop car, but TMZ has learned he was NOT actually arrested.

Diaz posted the pic with the caption "F**k they got us" ... leading many to believe he was referencing a recent prediction he made -- that he will end up in jail because he's never paid taxes in his life.

Seriously, Diaz said ... out loud ... that he's never paid a single cent in taxes -- EVER.

Turns out Diaz did have a run in with cops Sunday night -- but only because he was a passenger in a car that was pulled over for going the wrong way down a one way street.

Sgt. David Moranz from the Citrus Heights PD tells TMZ the driver of the car was arrested on an outstanding warrant and another passenger in the car was arrested for possession of concentrated cannabis ... but Diaz "was never arrested and was released without incidents from the scene."

Diaz has since removed the pic from his Twitter page and if his claims about being a tax evader are true, it seems like he dodged a major bullet ... at least for now.

Former "90210" star Vanessa Marcil is officially a free woman ... because her divorce from "CSI:NY" actor Carmine Giovinazzo (aka the nicest DUI arrestee of all time) has been finalized.

TMZ broke the story ... Marcil filed for divorce from Giovinazzo last summer, citing "irreconcilable differences." They were married in 2010 and have no children together.

As for the division of assets ... Vanessa gets the 2009 Chevy Silverado, their L.A. property, a bunch of bank accounts ... as well as all rights to her baby clothes company called Baby Gagoo.

Carmine gets the mother lode -- a 2002 Mercedes CLK, his 2006 Harley, his 2010 Triumph motorcycle, the 1969 Pontiac GTO, 2009 Ducati, 2011 Chevy Camaro ... plus a bunch of bank accounts and other boring stuff.

It's been a rough couple months for Carmine, who was arrested for DUI in January in Scottsdale, AZ. You'll recall, AZ cops say the actor was one of the nicest people they've ever arrested, apologizing constantly and saying he didn't want to be an "a**hole." He even thanked the arresting officers profusely for being so nice to him.

According to police, Carmine's blood alcohol level registered at .149 after his arrest ... nearly twice the legal limit in AZ.

He has since been ordered to complete an alcohol program ... but hey, at least the divorce is behind him.

11:13 AM PT -- Despite initial reports, cops say the sting did NOT involve "male" prostitutes ... but rather prostitutes of the female variety.

World Series of Poker champ Greg Raymer -- aka the FossilMan -- has been busted for trying to bury his bone ... after allegedly soliciting a prostitute online.

A rep for the Wake Forest PD in North Carolina says Raymer was popped at a Wake Forest hotel on Wednesday.

Police say the 48-year-old poker legend was one of six men who responded to an advertisement posted by an undercover cop on a website frequented by prostitutes. The men have since been released on $1,000 bond.

According to Raymer's website, he is currently married.

Raymer -- famous for his lizard-eye hologram glasses -- won the 2004 World Series of Poker main event. He reportedly owns a nearby NC house valued at nearly $1.6 million.

Here's a shocker ... "Moonshiners" star Tickle -- who makes a living distilling blindingly high-proof alcohol -- was arrested last week for public intoxication.

Law enforcement tells TMZ, Steven Ray Tickle was popped in Danville, Virginia last Thursday afternoon after a police officer discovered him boozing alone in his car, which was parked at a convenience store parking lot.

According to police, the officer approached the car and smelled alcohol coming from the vehicle.

The officer says he attempted to make arrangements for someone to pick Tickle up and take him home, but to no avail. The officer subsequently placed Tickle under arrest for being drunk in public.