Crime & Arrests

Kris Roe was involved in a scary car accident Monday night in Hollywood ... and The Ataris lead singer tells us he's surprised he lived to tell his story.

Kris tells TMZ ... he was driving his tour van through Hollywood late Monday night when a police pursuit ended with an out-of-control car smashing into his vehicle, injuring him and sending his bulldog, Gracie, flying.

As you can see in the photos ... Kris' ride was totaled after a Dodge Charger barreled head-on into his Ford van.

Kris says he was covered in fluids after the wreck, and he initially thought his dog was dead. Fortunately, Kris and Gracie are on the mend, although they're admittedly both shaken up from the crash.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the suspected reckless driver was arrested and booked for evading police.

Kris tells us he's exploring his legal options, and would ultimately like to see justice served.

Josh Henderson is an innocent man who was falsely arrested for a burglary he didn't commit, and that's why the L.A. County D.A. has formally rejected the case.

TMZ has obtained surveillance video of 3 burglars who entered an apartment unit in Josh's building earlier this month and made off with $7,000 in jewelry and other items. It is impossible to identify the faces of any of the 3 men, but the victim and a witness in the building told police they were "100% positive" it was Josh based on his jawline and the way he moved.

Turns out ... the "Desperate Housewives" star had an airtight alibi. He came home late afternoon and never left his apartment for the entire evening. We know that because there's surveillance video of his front door and that's the only way to enter and exit his unit.

The victim called police several times later that night and said he was scared to death Josh would come into his apartment and hurt him. The neighbor had 4 guns and told cops the burglars didn't take any of them and believed that was further evidence Josh was the culprit because he was afraid of guns.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, because the victim was afraid, they took the highly unusual step of going to the apartment building at around midnight and arresting Josh for burglary. They had not looked at the other video that showed he had an alibi.

Law enforcement sources say Josh's reaction was telling. He said, "How could I have committed a burglary?" rather than saying, "I didn't do it."

In the end ... the video clearly shows one thing -- the person who the victim identified as Josh was much younger than the actor.

1:39 PM PT -- Nicholson posted bail $2,500 ... and is no longer in jail.

Redskins' safety Montae Nicholson was arrested and charged with assault and battery after officials say he was involved in a drunken street brawl, sending 2 people to the hospital.

Nicholson -- a 4th round draft pick in 2017 out of Michigan State -- was arrested with a female companion after allegedly fighting another man and woman in the street outside Washington D.C.

So, couples fight.

Cops from Loudoun County Sheriff's Dept. responded to a call for a fight involving multiple people ... and after investigating, determined Nicholson and his female friend were at fault -- and they were arrested.

Officers do NOT believe Nicholson hit the female victim.

As for the alleged victims ... cops say their injuries are, "serious but non-life-threatening."

Nicholson -- who's played in all 14 of the Skins games this season and has racked up 41 tackles -- is still behind bars in county jail.

JWoww told police her estranged husband, Roger Mathews, was harassing her by filming her without consent, which is why he got kicked out of their home ... sources close to the couple tell TMZ.

As we reported ... cops hauled Mathews out of the family home early Friday morning per a restraining order JWoww got in the dead of night. Roger claimed the 2 had a disagreement earlier in the evening, but he did nothing wrong and was blindsided by police when they demanded he leave.

We're told the 'Jersey Shore' star waited until later in the night when Roger went to bed to contact authorities to claim he was harassing her ... which was enough to get him booted.

Surveillance video from inside their home during the incident shows JWoww telling cops Roger's "not a bad dad" and presumably wants the restraining order to only cover her. But, apparently cops said the temporary order bars Roger from contacting the entire fam, and if she wants it limited she'll have to take it up later in court.

Snooki hinted at harassment allegations when she claimed Roger was taunting JWoww by recording her with his phone to get a rise out of her. Mathews admitted recording JWoww on his phone, but only because his attorney advised him to do so.

We're told Roger is hoping more surveillance footage from the incident at their home gets released because he has nothing to hide and believes it will vindicate him.

Our sources also say the 2 have been doing couple's counseling for the past 3 months and Mathews was hoping to work things out, but JWoww told him recently she had no intention of reconciling ... and was only trying to keep things civil for the kids over the holidays.

We're told Roger's in the same boat now -- it's all about the kids ... not saving the marriage.

12/16 -- Disney has fired Stoney Westmoreland after he was arrested for trying to entice a minor into sex. In a statement, Disney says ... "Given the nature of the charges and our responsibility for the welfare of employed minors, we have released him from his recurring role and he will not be returning to work on the series which wraps production on its third season next week."

Westmoreland starred in a recurring role as Henry "Ham" Mack on the Disney Channel series "Andi Mack," playing the lead star's grandfather. Season 3 is set to premiere in 2019.

Stoney Westmoreland, a 48-year-old Disney Channel actor, has been arrested in Utah for allegedly arranging online to have sex with someone he believed was 13.

According to online records, Westmoreland -- who played the grandfather on "Andi Mack" -- was arrested Friday for allegedly enticing a minor by internet or text, and dealing in materials harmful to a minor. Both are felonies.

A local report by KSL cites court docs stating the actor began communicating with an online user he believed was just 13, on an app used for dating and setting up sexual encounters.

Westmoreland reportedly asked the person to engage in acts with him and to send him nude photos. The report cites an affidavit claiming Westmoreland sent the person pornographic images.

The Salt Lake City Police Department and FBI Child Exploitation Task Force reportedly arrested Westmoreland Friday when he used a ride-sharing service to pick up the person he believed was 13.

Westmoreland has also appeared in episodes of popular TV shows like "Scandal," "Breaking Bad," "Better Call Saul" and "NCIS."

"Andi Mack" is filmed at Wasatch Junior High in Salt Lake City.

Ex-USC wide receiver Joseph Lewis has been released from jail after serving nearly 6 months of his sentence in his domestic violence case ... TMZ Sports has learned.

As we previously reported, 19-year-old Lewis was arrested back in July after his GF told police he had punched, scratched and strangled her during an argument.

Lewis pled no contest to 1 felony domestic violence charge -- and also admitted guilt in a previous domestic violence incident.

He was sentenced to a year in county jail -- but got out after roughly 6 months due to overcrowding and good behavior.

Now that Lewis is out, he's still not allowed to contact the victim who obtained a 10-year restraining order against him.

Lewis had just 4 catches as a freshman for the Trojans back in 2017 but was expected to be a big contributor this season before he was booted from the team.

This is Rachael Denhollander -- the very first woman to come forward with sexual abuse allegations against Larry Nassar.

She's a hero. A survivor. And, she was brutally honest when we asked her how she was holding up in the wake of all that's transpired since she went public with her story.

"It's been really hard. The last two years have been very painful," Denhollander told us.

"My husband has been an incredible support system, my family has been an incredible support system and I'm grateful for that. Not everyone can say that."

We asked Rachael if she thinks she'll ever really completely recover from the abuse -- and again, she didn't mince words.

"I think that something we really need to understand is that the scars still remain. Sexual assault changes the course of a person's life. While there is a great deal of hope after abuse, it's absolutely devastating."

Of course, Simone Biles also is speaking publicly about how she's still dealing with the trauma -- telling 'GMA' this week, "I still go to therapy and I'm on anxiety medication now."

The bottom line -- Denhollander, Biles and other survivors want officials in gymnastics and other sports to be proactive in protecting young athletes from predators like Nassar.

"The real test is what happens when the allegation is in your own community. When it happens against your favorite sports player, your favorite sports team, your favorite coach."

Nicki Minaj's new beau is the ultimate bad boy -- and has been for quite some time, including while he was behind bars.

Kenneth Petty's inmate disciplinary history, obtained by TMZ, shows Nicki's BF was written up 18 times from 2006 to 2013 while he was serving time for a manslaughter conviction in New York.

Some of Petty's violations were major -- he got slapped with 2 violent conduct violations in 2010 for threats and fighting. Before that, he also racked up another fighting violation, and 5 violations for disobeying a direct order.

He got off to a ROUGH start too ... just one day after he entered the prison he got tagged for creating a disturbance.

There was also a 2009 incident where he was cited for 9 separate violations, and got 4 months in solitary as punishment. Mostly though ... he lost phone, recreation and commissary privileges for bad behavior.

As you know, Minaj's BF was convicted of first-degree attempted rape in 1995 when he was 16. He served almost 4 years for that ... before the 2006 manslaughter conviction.

Still, the man did his time ... and our Nicki sources say she believes Kenny -- an old flame from Queens -- has changed, and she's happier than she's been in years.

T.I.'s run-in with a security guard at his gated community is now water under the bridge -- at least in court -- because he paid a small fine and put the case to bed ... TMZ has learned.

The rapper's attorney, Steve Sadow, tells us ... Tip pled no contest to disorderly conduct -- for cursing at the guard -- and was ordered to pay a $300 fine. All other charges were dropped.

We're told T.I. appeared in person Thursday in the Henry County, GA courtroom.

As we reported, T.I. was arrested for assault, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct in May after he allegedly confronted the security guard for not letting him enter the gated community. The rapper claimed the guard was asleep on the job and cussed out his wife, Tiny, when he called her to verify T.I. lived there.

Ex-'Love & Hip Hop' star Benzino is not mincing words ... he's adamant racists are behind the serious drug charges he's facing but vows to fight back.

Benzino wanted to address the story we broke ... that cops busted him in Cobb County, GA -- in January 2017 -- and hit him with a slew of charges: felony possession of THC oil gummies, felony possession of 6 MDMA pills and misdemeanor possession of less than an ounce of weed.

He's facing up to 15 years in prison, but Benzino calls the charges trumped up from "one of the most racists counties, not just in Georgia, but in America." He still believes cops had no right to raid his penthouse, even though a judge ruled cops legally obtained a search warrant.

The woman who plays a post-apocalyptic juvenile on the CW series "The 100" will NOT be prosecuted for domestic violence ... because prosecutors realized there was no domestic violence.

Marie Avgeropoulos' lawyer, Shawn Holley, appeared in an L.A. courtroom Tuesday, along with the prosecutor, for the formality of dismissing the case. Bottom line ... the case was dismissed because there was never any intent on Marie's part to flip out and attack her BF. She had an adverse reaction to medication that triggered the outburst and there wasn't an intentional act of violence.

TMZ broke the story ... Marie -- who stars as Octavia Blake on the CW sci-fi show -- was arrested back in August after her BF called cops from inside a car claiming she struck him during a verbal argument. The BF called police hoping they'd just defuse the sitch but instead ended up arresting Marie.

All water under the bridge now.

Justin Gimelstob -- an ex-tennis star and current broadcaster -- pled not guilty to felony aggravated battery after he was accused of beating the hell out of a man during a trick-or-treating run on Halloween.

Gimelstob -- a former doubles champ who coaches tennis stud John Isner -- was arrested on the suspicion of roughing up a guy named Randall Kaplan while the man was trick-or-treating with his family in L.A. on Oct. 31.

In a restraining order Kaplan filed in November, he claims the tennis coach hit him from behind, pinned him down, punched him "more than 50 times" in the face and head and threatened to "f**king kill" him.

Justin showed up in court Wednesday in L.A. to face the battery with serious bodily injury charge -- a felony -- and pled not guilty.

If convicted, Gimelstob faces up to 4 years in prison AND a fine of up to $10,000.

While dealing with his case, Justin has reportedly taken a leave of absence from his role as an analyst at the Tennis Channel.

Ex-'Love & Hip Hop' star Benzino is in the battle of his life right now, but nobody knew it.

We've learned Benzino was arrested back in January 2017 and charged with felony possession of THC oil gummies (22 grams), felony possession of 6 MDMA pills and misdemeanor possession of less than an ounce of weed.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, cops executed a search warrant at the producer's ATL apartment and found the drugs in drawers and on the kitchen counters. He was arrested and posted $12k bail. Benzino's legal team argued the search was illegal, but a judge ruled cops searched the pad legally.

Fast forward to now ... we're told Benzino's legal team will learn Wednesday in court when the case is headed to trial ... which could be as soon as next month, if he doesn't cop a plea.

If convicted, Benzino could face up to 15 years behind bars.

Donald Trump's biggest foes on Capitol Hill want him out of office, but at least one is not willing to give him immunity from criminal prosecution as a quid pro quo.

Congressman Adriano Espaillat has already advocated for Articles of Impeachment against 45, but there's a line in the sand he will not cross. We asked him on "TMZ Live" Tuesday if he'd be okay if the Manhattan U.S. Attorney gave Trump and members of his family a promise they will not be prosecuted, in return for the President leaving the White House. Espaillat recoiled at the prospect.

Nicki Minaj has a long history with her new boyfriend, because she first fell for him when she was a teenager -- and she feels he's changed since his checkered past.

Sources close to Nicki tell TMZ ... her first relationship with Kenneth Petty happened when she was a 16-year-old living in Queens, and she calls him one of her first loves. As they say, what's old is new again ... she's been showing him off in pics from a romantic getaway for her 36th birthday.

We're told Nicki understands Kenneth has a troubled past -- he's a registered sex offender convicted of attempted rape -- but she's confident he's matured since his time in NY state prison in the late 1990s. Nicki believes in second chances and has faith he'll be good to her.

As we reported ... Petty was convicted of first-degree attempted rape in April 1995, when he and his victim were both 16. Sources close to Nicki say the full context of the crime is Kenneth was dating the victim -- and her mother filed the charges because she didn't approve of him.

Our sources say Nicki and Kenneth still have great chemistry, despite all the years between their relationships. We're told she was very stressed out before they got back together, but she's much happier since rekindling their romance.

2:30 PM PST -- Nicki just admitted to the allegations, writing, "He was 15, she was 16 ... in a relationship. But go awf, internet. y'all can't run my life. Y'all can't even run y'all own life. Thank you boo."

Nicki Minaj's new boo is a registered sex offender with a disturbing rap sheet that includes convictions for manslaughter and attempted rape ... TMZ has learned.

Kenneth Petty is the 40-year-old she's been hanging with, and posting pics with on Instagram. Court records, obtained by TMZ, show he was convicted of first-degree attempted rape in April 1995. He was 16 at the time, and so was his victim.

Prosecutors said he used a sharp object when he tried to force the girl to have sexual intercourse. Petty served almost 4 years in NY state prison for the crime.

And, get this ... years after getting out of the pen, Petty was convicted of first-degree manslaughter, and served another 7 years for shooting a man. He was released in 2013.

She acknowledged their hometown connection by quoting Adele's "Hello" in the caption of their latest pic -- "Did you ever make it out of that town where nothing ever happens? ... it's no secret ... that the both of us ... are running out of time."