Drugs & Alcohol

Victory ... ex-Disney star Jake T. Austin has escaped DUI charges stemming from his arrest last month ... but he's not completely off the hook.

Austin was popped for drunk driving in October just blocks from his devastating 4-car crash this week.

Austin was initially charged with two counts of DUI, but his lawyer, Jay Jaffe, got the two charges dismissed in exchange for a measly speeding charge ... to which Austin pled no contest.

Austin was subsequently sentenced to 24 months probation ... a pretty steep punishment for speeding, but at least he won't have a DUI on his record. Austin is also prohibited from driving with even a teensy-weensy amount of alcohol in his system.

And get this ... the judge didn't utter a peep about the most recent accident.

Amanda Bynes is mentally capable of understanding the nature of the criminal charges she faces, and as a result the road is now clear for her to stand trial for DUI.

Amanda's case was in Mental Health Court this AM, and the judge read the court-ordered medical evaluation of the actress, and determined she is now competent to face the DUI charges.

Amanda's lawyer, Rich Hutton, did not object to the findings so the criminal case -- which was put on hold -- will now go forward.

Sources say the ruling will have NO impact on her conservatorship. Fact is ... even though Amanda is capable of understanding the nature of legal proceedings, she is nowhere close to being able to care for herself.

As for the DUI case ... no way will it go before a jury. It has plea bargain written all over it.

As we first reported ... Amanda has been diagnosed with Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Crap is about to hit the fan in CeeLo Green's felony drug case -- at least according to the L.A. County D.A., which just hinted it's on the brink of exposing the FULL story surrounding the singer's ecstasy charge, a story that involves allegations of rape.

CeeLo was back in court today -- when the judge set a date for a preliminary hearing in January -- and prosecutors said they expected the prelim hearing to last several hours.

The reason ... prosecutors said there's a lot more to the drug charge than meets the eye, insinuating they were preparing to delve into the nitty-gritty of the case ... i.e. the sexual assault aspect.

You'll recall, this whole thing started last year ... when a woman accused CeeLo of spiking her drink with ecstasy at a Downtown L.A. sushi joint. She claimed the next thing she remembered was waking up in a bed naked with CeeLo in the room.

CeeLo was eventually cleared of sexual assault due to insufficient evidence, but got hit with a felony drug charge instead.

But the funniest part of today's hearing -- CeeLo spent the entire time standing behind his lawyer Blair Berk, who was blocking him from the cameras. As we reported, Blair objected to cams in the courtroom because she felt they put CeeLo in the spotlight too much.

Overall, CeeLo didn't appear concerned today though -- he shrugged the whole thing off on his way out of court.

Ex-Disney star Jake T. Austin WAS the driver of the car that crashed into 3 other vehicles early Tuesday morning -- but because of some swift and clever legal gymnastics by his lawyer, Jake may actually avoid prosecution ... TMZ has learned.

Here's the way it went down -- sources intimately familiar with the situation tell TMZ, 18-year-old Jake and a friend were driving in Studio City around 3AM when he crashed into the 3 cars.

Witnesses say Jake tossed a Ciroc vodka bottle out of the car, but before cops arrived at the scene, we're told Jake ordered an Uber (Town Car service) ... and he and his friend high-tailed it out.

Cops suspect drinking was involved, but there's no way Jake could be prosecuted for drunk driving because police never located him. And, we're told, Jake denies he had been drinking.

But drinking aside, Austin is still in trouble for leaving the scene of an accident without providing identifying information ... which constitutes a hit-and-run. But Jake's lawyer pulled off some legal acrobatics that could get Jake off the hook.

We're told the lawyer called cops at 4am and told them Jake was the owner of the car. Cleverly, the lawyer did NOT disclose the fact that Jake was the driver ... so as not to violate the attorney-client privilege, especially important because leaving the scene is a crime.

And here's where it gets really good -- we're told Jake has an iron-clad excuse for leaving the scene: he and his passenger were injured and needed immediate medical attention. In other words, they didn't have time to leave a note.

We're told Jake had an injury to his mouth, and went directly to the ER and received stitches.

And the coup de grace, we're told Jake's lawyer has made it clear ... the victims will be fully compensated ... so there's really no need to prosecute.

The legal maneuvering might have saved the lawyer a huge headache on multiple fronts -- he's also repping Jake after the kid's DUI arrest last month.

CeeLo was railroaded by the judge and the prosecutor in his felony drug case ... standing in the crosshairs of media cameras as everyone else in court ducked for cover -- this according to his lawyer.

Blair Berk, who reps CeeLo, filed legal docs with the court -- obtained by TMZ -- in which she gripes about the way her client was depicted during his arraignment. Berk objected to cameras in the courtroom, but Judge Shelly Torrealba felt the media had a right to record the proceedings.

Now here's what enraged Berk. On arraignment day, the judge ordered the camera operator NOT record her or her staff. The judge then ordered the camera position near the bench. The prosecutors then conveniently stood near the court staff, so the only people in the shot were CeeLo and Berk.

Berk apparently feels her client -- who is presumed innocent -- was hung out to dry on the pretext of an open proceeding that was in fact more like a defendant under an interrogation lamp.

Where there's smoke ... TMZ has learned, Ex-Disney star Jake T. Austin was busted for DUI just last month in the SAME CAR that was involved in the 4-car hit-and-run crash this morning.

Law enforcement sources tell us, Austin was arrested October 8th by the CHP after being pulled over for driving at night without headlights. We're told police officers smelled booze as they approached his vehicle, administered a field sobriety test and Austin did poorly.

According to sources, 18-year-old Austin blew a .08 and was arrested. He has since been charged with DUI and has a court date scheduled for TOMORROW.
At the time he was busted, Austin was driving the 2010 Audi with New York plates -- the same car that slammed into multiple cars early this morning.

Jake T. Austin -- who starred as Max Russo on the hit Disney show "Wizards of Waverly Place" -- was involved in a bizarre 4-car hit-and-run crash this morning ... and TMZ has the pics.

Here's what we know -- a 2010 Audi with NY plates slammed into 3 parked cars on a street in Sherman Oaks, CA around 3AM Tuesday morning. The cars suffered major damage.

According to an official incident report, obtained by TMZ, the Audi is registered to 18-year-old Austin (real name Jake Szymanski). It's unclear if Austin was driving the car at the time of the wreck.

Witnesses tell TMZ ... after the driver hit the parked cars, someone in the ride threw a bottle of Ciroc at a nearby property. One witness tells us the driver and his passengers called a black car service to come pick them up before cops arrived to the scene. The witness described one of the guys as a white male with dark hair who looked really young and acted really drunk.

Once officers arrived, they saw the wrecked Audi, along with the path of destruction -- but no Jake -- and issued a document to one of the people who suffered damage, which explained that the incident was being handled as a hit-and-run.

The document also shows the Audi is registered to Austin.

We spoke with cops -- who tell us they're currently investigating the situation. So far, no arrests have been made.

Toronto's crack smokin' Mayor Rob Ford says he doesn't need help with booze and drugs ... Ford instead says he really needs to come to terms with his enormous appetite.

Ford was on the 'Today' show and told Matt Lauer he's not in any kind of treatment program for alcohol or for drugs ... but claims he's training every day to drop some lbs.

Ford -- who just got stripped of most of his mayoral duties -- admitted he smoked crack cocaine ... "probably in one of my drunken stupors" ... after video leaked showing him smoking.

But you gotta hear Ford explain why citizens of Toronto have nothing to fear when he's on a binge ... because GOOD FORTUNE is on his side.

Michael Jordan's blackness should have prevented him from playing beer bong at a hotel in Florida earlier this month ... so says Charles Barkley.

First off, Barkley rules -- this guy is awesome.

Sir Charles was leaving La Vecchia Cucina in Santa Monica last night -- where he spent his Monday evening watching basketball -- when we brought up MJ's beer pong match at the Ritz in Florida. Check out the exchange:

Charles: "Black people don't play beer pong."
Pap: "Jordan did!"
Charles: "That don't make it right!"

Charles goes on to explain why black people don't play beer pong ... it's hilarious.

There's more -- we also asked Barkley about Blake Griffin ... and while Sir Charles admits he's usually pretty critical of the guy, it's only because he thinks BG can be a better player than he was.

But when we asked if he would've dominated Blake Griffin back in his prime, you gotta hear how Charles responds. Classic.

Lamar Odom has escaped to his Alma Mater – the University of Rhode Island – for the week ... and is hitting the courts at his old gym ... presumably training for his alleged return to the NBA.

Lamar told our camera guy over weekend he's been in talks with the LA Clippers ... after his career was derailed this summer by a serious crack problem.

The assistant coach at URI – Preston Murphy – was a former teammate of Lamar’s when they played college ball together back in ’98 … and it looks like Murphy is letting Lamar use the facilities to train while the team is away for the week.

Lamar has been mugging with students on campus.

Justin Bieber's Gatsby party on Friday was FILLED with naked chicks ... as far as the eye could see ... this according to sources inside the party -- and all Justin's celebrity friends were there, including Floyd Mayweather and Chris Brown.

Sources at the party tell us, there were at least 20 "big booty" strippers there -- and the girls who weren't strippers felt self-conscious wearing clothes, so they stripped down too. Basically, every man's dream.

And Bieber was tipping like a pro -- we're told he had stacks of ones and made it rain all night, dumping more than $10,000 in cash on the girls. One dancer tells us she made $1,300 alone.

According to sources, Breezy, Floyd, T.I., Trey Songz, and Snoop were there too. We're told Snoop had his priorities straight though, spending most of his time playing strip beer pong with some ladies.

As for booze and weed ... we're told there were 3 open bars and plenty of kush to go around.

TMZ broke the story ... Bieber's party was a rager and Bieber's neighbors weren't happy -- one even filed a police report, claiming Bieber was disturbing the peace.

Brandi Glanville isn't backing off her crusade to trash Joanna Krupa's vagina ... and when she got drunk this weekend, the attacks got even more vulgar.

TMZ cameras rolled as the "Real Housewives of Bev Hills" star was carried out of Fleming's steakhouse in L.A. -- and even though she could barely stand, Brandi managed to compare Krupa's lady parts to a certain unflattering sea creature.

Of course, Glanville first went after Krupa's lady parts on "Watch What Happens Live" last week ... when she claimed Joanna slept with Yolanda Foster’s ex-husband Mohamed Hadid … and Mohamed told her Krupa's nether region was straight up stinky.

As for Krupa ... she didn't seem too bothered this weekend, when she grabbed her husband Romain Zago and paraded around her ass by a pool in Miami.

Smells like a distraction technique.

**SPOILER ALERT ( ... there, you've been warned) **

Lindsay Lohan went to Promises rehab center during her big time cameo on HBO's "Eastbound & Down" last night ... only this time, LiLo wasn't the one who needed the help, for once.

We broke the story ... Lohan shot her cameo months ago and was sworn to silence, since her role was a big part of the series finale of the show.

But last night, as we all said goodbye to Kenny Powers ... Lindsay (who played his adult daughter roughly 20 years in the future) waited for her dear old junkie dad as he emerged from the Promises rehab center ... the same place Lindsay sought treatment in real life in 2007.

It didn't really work for Lindsay ... she ended up going back to another rehab center in 2013.

Cracky Mayor Rob Ford -- the Tyrone Biggums of politics -- says he's well aware he was mocked on "Saturday Night Live" this weekend ... but he didn't seem too upset about it.

Ford was in Toronto on his way to watch a Canadian Football league playoff game -- when he stopped to sign autographs like a rockstar.

During the quick signing session, Ford was asked about the "SNL" skit -- in which Bobby Moynihan spoofs the mayor as a fat, cracked out idiot.

"It was crazy," Ford said of the sketch.

Ford then proceeded to the football game ... despite a suggestion from the CFL commissioner that Rob stay the hell away.

Ford plays by his own rules ... especially when those rules involve crack.

Lamar Odom just confirmed to TMZ ... discussions are underway for a return to the team he loved -- the L.A. Clippers.

We got Lamar at LAX about an hour ago ... and he made it clear something is going on between him and the team.

Coach Doc Rivers said he met with Lamar Friday to have a chit chat and there is a buzz that serious negotiations are underway.

Justin Bieber threw a rager last night and the neighbor with whom he has been at war called the police 3 times ... TMZ has learned.

Justin hosted a wild shindig at his Calabasas home for approximately 100 people including Snoop Lion. Apparently the noise was too much for some of the residents and cops were called at around 1 am.

We're told the L.A. County Sheriff's Deputies spoke to someone inside, told them to keep the noise down and left.

The noise didn't stop. At around 3 am Justin's next door neighbor -- the guy who Justin allegedly spit on during a prior altercation -- called again and deputies came out a second time. The neighbor tells TMZ cops told him they smelled marijuana inside but left without arresting anyone.

At 5:30 am the neighbor couldn't take it anymore ... deputies came out a third time and he filed a police report against Justin for disturbing the peace.