Drugs & Alcohol

Mahlon Reyes, a deckhand on one of the "Deadliest Catch" crab fishing boats, died from a drug overdose ... TMZ has learned.

Mahlon's cause of death is listed as acute cocaine intoxication ... according to Flathead County Sheriff and Coroner, Brian Heino. He also tells us the death has been ruled accidental.

TMZ broke the story ... Mahlon died in Whitefish, Montana back in July, after suffering a massive heart attack and going on life support. His wife told us his death came as a complete shock to the family because he had no known existing health conditions.

Mahlon's death came while he was rehabbing a torn Achilles, suffered while crabbing, and we were told he was working his butt off to make it back to Alaska for another crab season.

Miya Ponsetto, the SoHo Karen who falsely accused a black teen of stealing her iPhone and then attacked him, went wild on cops when she was arrested last year for DUI.

As we reported, Mia and her mom, Nicole, were charged with another crime last year which involved being drunk in public -- more on that in a minute. But, THE DAY AFTER Miya was charged, cops spotted her in Malibu driving erratically and pulled her over.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Miya copped to being in an altered state, saying she had taken a Xanax and had some wine. Cops asked her to step out of her Range Rover, and that's when the craziness began.

We're told when she got out, cops said they wanted to perform a field sobriety test, which she flat out refused and cops say she was downright belligerent. Our sources say cops tried slapping handcuffs on her, but she resisted and they then took her to the ground.

At that point, cops say Miya threw a tantrum, kicking the ground, thrashing her body and even knocking her head on the pavement.

As we reported, she was taken to jail and booked for DUI. She pled no contest and received 3 years probation, 30 hours of community service and she's required to take a 9-month alcohol/drug counseling program.

As you know, Miya was at a fancy NYC hotel last month when she realized she didn't have her iPhone and immediately zeroed in on the 14-year-old son of Grammy-winning musician, Keyon Harold, who was holding an iPhone, accusing the child of stealing her phone. She attacked Keyon Jr. and New York cops now want to talk to her.

Turns out she seems to have issues with hotels, because early last year she and her mom were at the Peninsula hotel in Bev Hills where employees asked them in vain to leave after they appeared inebriated. The cops came, Miya's mom, Nicole, allegedly pushed and kicked an officer. The mom was arrested for battery on an officer and being drunk in public. Miya was arrested for being drunk in public as well. They pled not guilty and have a hearing next month.

Lil Tjay couldn't avoid getting arrested this time -- 4 days after NYPD searched him and found nothing, cops pulled him over again ... and now he's facing some serious charges.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the rapper was busted Wednesday afternoon in Brooklyn and booked for criminal possession of a weapon, marijuana possession and grand larceny.

We're told Lil Tjay was in a vehicle with 4 others when cops pulled them over for switching lanes without signaling. Our sources say the officer smelled weed in the car, which resulted in a search and the discovery of 4 loaded handguns and a large amount of marijuana.

We're told neither the rapper nor anyone in the vehicle took ownership of the firearms or the weed, so they were all hit with possession charges. It's unclear why they're also facing the grand larceny charge.

Sir Elton John is sticking to his sobriety -- unlike a lot of folks navigating life in the pandemic -- and he says Zoom is a huge reason why he's still on the wagon.

The Rocket Man says attending virtual Alcoholics Anonymous meetings has "been a lifesaver" over the last 9 months. A recovering alcoholic, Elton tipped his cap to Zoom while appearing on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's new podcast, "Archewell Audio."

He says the video conferencing platform has allowed him to keep up with friends and sober buddies in AA.

As we first reported ... AA chapters across the globe turned to services like Zoom when the outbreak exploded back in March, providing a much-needed support system for folks in the program.

Elton, who reached 30 years of sobriety in July, says attending his AA meetings every Sunday, from his home in England, is keeping him on the straight and narrow.

'Deadliest Catch' star Nick McGlashan appears to have died from some sort of drug overdose ... according to police investigating his death.

Law enforcement sources tell us Nashville PD got a call to a Holiday Inn outside Nashville Sunday afternoon. We're told Nick had been discovered unresponsive in his room by a friend. We're told the evidence at the scene "indicated the possibility of drug involvement."

Authorities still need to wait for the results from a toxicology test before making a final ruling on Nick's cause of death.

McGlashan was a prominent figure on the show ... making appearances from 2013-2020. He started fishing at a young age, just 13, and made his way up to captaining boats like the Cape Caution and Summer Bay -- but he battled addiction with drugs and alcohol along the way.

Shia LaBeouf is in terrible shape and needs inpatient treatment for addiction and psychological issues ... and not just inpatient treatment ... but longterm treatment.

Shia's lawyer, Shawn Holley, tells TMZ, "Shia needs help and he knows that." Holley, who first told Variety about Shia's intentions, adds, “We are actively seeking the kind of meaningful, intensive, long-term inpatient treatment that he desperately needs."

This isn't happening in a vacuum. This comes shortly after ex-GF FKA Twigs sued him for physical, emotional and mental abuse.

She claims Shia once tried to strangle her after slamming her against a car. She says there were other incidents of violence ... she says he once pulled out a gun and told her he had killed stray dogs in the past because he wanted to know what it felt like to take a life.

Shia, who has struggled with addiction for years, had his name removed recently from a Netflix awards consideration page.

John Mulaney will be spending the holidays away from friends and family, he's checked into rehab to treat cocaine and alcohol abuse after relapsing ... TMZ has confirmed.

The comedian entered rehab this past weekend and will spend the next 60 days at a facility in Pennsylvania. John's reportedly not fighting rehab ... and his friends and family are happy that he's getting the help he needs.

According to Page Six, which first reported the news, John struggled to stay sober during the pandemic. John, who had been sober since he was 23, was no stranger to openly talking about his struggles ... admitting his dabbling with prescription and illegal drugs.

Just last year, he said he started drinking at just 13 years old ... and drank for attention. John said he didn't know how to act ... until booze made him hilarious again.

But, the struggles didn't end there. The 38-year-old comedian told Esquire for a September cover story that the drinking ultimately led to him using drugs. He said, "I never liked smoking pot. Then I tried cocaine, and I loved it."

Tony La Russa pled guilty to reckless driving Monday -- nearly a full year after he was arrested in February -- and now, the White Sox manager is expressing serious remorse over the incident.

La Russa was busted back on Feb. 24 after cops believed he had been drinking and driving.

In police documents, cops said the 76-year-old had wrecked his car in Phoenix, AZ -- and officers claimed he exhibited all the signs of being impaired when they questioned him.

Cops said La Russa smelled like alcohol, blew a .09 (the legal limit is .08) ... and then became combative.

In the docs, police said La Russa -- who admitted to drinking wine prior to getting behind the wheel -- told officers, "I'm legit. I'm a Hall of Famer, brother. You're trying to embarrass me."

Cops say bloodwork on La Russa ultimately showed he had a BAC of .095 ... and he was eventually hit with two misdemeanor DUI charges.

Courts records, though, show La Russa reached a deal with prosecutors Monday ... in which he agreed to plead guilty to a reduced charge of reckless driving.

In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop the other DUI charge.

As part of La Russa's sentencing, he was ordered to spend one day in jail -- though La Russa will be allowed to serve it via home confinement, according to his attorney, Larry Kazan.

Kazan also said La Russa will pay a $1,300 fine and do 20 hours of community service as part of his sentencing.

"Mr. La Russa knows he made a mistake last February and deeply regrets it," Kazan said in a statement. "He is embarrassed and concerned. He knows what he did was wrong."

People battling addiction or other health issues in need of a strong support system are mostly getting the short end of the stick during the pandemic ... so says Dr. Phil.

We spoke to the good doc Monday on "TMZ Live" and revisited a topic we'd discussed with him and others during the early stages of lockdowns -- the well-being of folks in AA, NA and other support groups as they have to navigate quarantining solo.

Phil was worried about this early on and tells us a lot of those fears have manifested as relapse rates and drug/substance usage is noticeably up throughout the U.S. Basically, Phil says virtual meetings lack a lot of factors that make in-person meetings so effective.

While he does note some upsides to being able to partake in support groups online -- like a greater degree of anonymity, and more options of where to drop in for a meeting -- he says the list of cons outweigh the pros.

Dr. Phil adds ... one of the issues for virtual support groups is Zoom-bombing -- essentially, hackers dropping in on chats they have no place being. That makes many people apprehensive because they can't see everyone in the room.

Russia's vodka industry is taking a major hit -- leaders over there are telling citizens to lay off the sauce when they get the coronavirus vaccine.

Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova says Russians who receive the Sputnik V vaccine -- which is administered in 2 phases 21 days apart -- must abstain from alcohol for 42 days ... because it's an immunosuppressant.

That's not all -- Russians planning to get the vaccine are also supposed to give up drinking 2 weeks before their first injection. So, that's about 2 months of sobriety for people living in the nation known to be one of the world's leading alcohol consumers.

Anna Popova, head of Russia’s consumer watchdog agency, says beer and liquor are a strain on the body, adding ... "If we want to stay healthy and have a strong immune response, don’t drink alcohol." Smoking cigarettes is also being discouraged.

So far, Russian officials estimate 100,000 have received the Sputnik V vaccine.

Would you really have expected anything else from His Airness?!

Michael Jordan's golf course in Florida features flying drones that deliver food and booze straight to the fairways ... and video captured by tennis star Caroline Wozniacki at the place this week shows it's all AWESOME!!!

The course -- which just opened in 2019 after YEARS of planning, developing and constructing -- is insane ... it's called The Grove XXIII and it's built on a huge plot of land in Hobe Sound, FL.

The holes are super sleek, and the club has a dope 15,000-square-foot clubhouse ... but the coolest part has got to be the drones!!

MJ replaced beer carts with flying ships that bring alcohol and snacks to golfers ... and in videos that show the whole process, you can see just how cool it is.

Wozniacki -- who was getting in some run on the course this week -- filmed the whole thing ... as did others, and you can see it's really freakin' cool.

The problem for you normies looking to experience it? MJ's club is SUPER EXCLUSIVE -- it reportedly has less than 100 members!!

Morgan Wallen has a plan to make sure he's not booted from his second crack at 'SNL' ... but his strategy already has some gaping holes of his own doing.

We got the country music star in New York City Friday and our photog asked him how he's planning to stay COVID safe ahead of his big 'SNL' performance.

Morgan tells us he "ain't leaving the damn hotel" ... as he's literally walking out of said hotel.

As you know ... Morgan is getting a second chance at 'SNL' 2 months after the show axed him from an earlier, planned gig. He got the boot after he was seen taking shots in a crowded bar and kissing women during some maskless partying down in Alabama. Y'know, stuff that's NOT COVID safe.

Morgan's thanking the Lord for another shot -- at 'SNL,' not the bar -- and says he'll do things differently this time. As for leaving the hotel, maybe he's going to 30 Rock for rehearsals.

Good on Morgan for wearing a face-covering as he climbs into a waiting SUV with his masked-up team.

The show should be pretty funny, with host Jason Bateman already in fine form.

NBA legend Paul Pierce is being sued over an alleged marijuana deal gone bad -- accused of screwing over the guy he hired to build and run his grow house!

"The Truth" is being sued by Kenneth Johnson -- who's been described as a "master grower" when it comes to cannabis.

In his suit, Johnson claims Pierce hired him back in 2016 to "design and develop a warehouse to cultivate cannabis from inception to completion."

Johnson claims Pierce offered him $10,000 per month -- and required him to move out to L.A. ... not a bad gig, right!?

But, soon after they got started, Johnson says Pierce cut his pay to $4,000 -- claiming they couldn't afford the full rate until after there was product to be sold.

Johnson claims things got worse from there ... claiming Pierce and his company "cut corners" and didn't even get the weed plants into the warehouse until late 2018.

Even then, Johnson claims Pierce refused to pay him his promised $10,000 monthly rate -- insisting they wouldn't have the funds until after the first marijuana harvest.

Things finally came to a head in Nov. 2019 -- Johnson claims he still wasn't getting his full pay so he left the company ... while Pierce's operation still owed him more than $42k in unpaid wages!

Now, Johnson's suing for back pay -- plus unpaid overtime, missed meal period violations and more.

The weed biz ... it ain't all fun and games!

Ex-Michigan State basketball star Keith Appling -- who led the Spartans to the Elite Eight in 2014 -- was sentenced to 18 months probation, stemming from a heroin arrest back in February.

Cops say the 28-year-old was stopped in Warren, Michigan on Feb. 8 after officers spotted his car weaving all over the road.

After he was pulled over, cops say Appling appeared sweaty and woozy -- so they searched the vehicle, and turned up 19 grams of heroin (about the size of a golf ball) in a sandwich bag.

Prosecutors believe Appling intended to sell the heroin.

The former hoops star was charged with "delivery or manufacture of less than 50 grams of a controlled substance" -- and pled guilty to the charge back in October.

Appling appeared in court Monday over Zoom -- where he was sentenced to 18 months probation.

The terms of his probation include no drugs or alcohol, he must be employed 30 hours a week and must complete a treatment program, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Appling was one of the best high school basketball players in the country back in the day -- he was named Michigan's "Mr. Basketball" in 2010 as the state's top player.

A Staten Island bar's ripping a page from Seattle protesters' playbook by declaring an "autonomous zone" that's defying New York's COVID-19 restrictions ... and its patrons seem willing to go down fighting.

Sheriff's deputies raided Mac's Public House and shut it down Tuesday night for defying coronavirus health orders ... it was continuing to serve customers indoors. One of the owners, Danny Presti, was arrested for not cooperating during the raid -- and his loyal customers are pissed.

As Presti was being hauled out of his pub, a dozen or so patrons gathered outside in protest ... chanting "Hands off Mac's Public House."

As the unrest grew outside the bar, State Sen. Andrew Lanza showed up in an attempt to play peaceful mediator between Presti's lawyer, angry supporters and the authorities ... while also trying to get an explanation why Presti was arrested.

It doesn't seem like it came to a satisfactory conclusion though, especially for one fan of Mac's who's trying to rally a massive demonstration Wednesday night.

The guy posted his call to action as the raid was going down, pointing out what he feels is the hypocrisy of the new lockdown rules, and says he wants a thousand people lined up in front of Mac's to protest. Referring to the government, he shouted, "If they fear you, they won't f**k with you!!!"

Things definitely could get interesting tonight in Staten Island, which by the way ... is a state-designated coronavirus hot spot.

Irene Bedard, the actor who voiced Pocahontas in the Disney film, is way too familiar with the back of a police car after what cops call 2 wildly-drunken incidents over 3 days.

Her first arrest went down at Irene's ex-husband's house in Beavercreek, OH -- where cops responded to a possible domestic violence situation on Friday night. According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, officers found the actress with a belt in her hand.

Police claim Irene, who is Native American, said something to the effect of, "Look, they sent the white man to come get me!" The report also says she appeared incredibly intoxicated, reeked of booze and had trouble standing straight.

Her ex told cops Irene showed up pounding on his door and when he let her in, she started yelling at their 17-year-old son ... and allegedly kicked him as he tried to restrain her. Cops claim that continued as she kicked and screamed while they tried to get her into their cruiser.

BPD notes her son didn't want to press charges and just wanted his mom to get help -- but they took her to the station and booked her for domestic violence, assault and resisting arrest.

She posted bond ... but a few days later, on Monday, Irene was arrested again when Beavercreek PD was summoned to a hotel where Irene was allegedly harassing the front desk clerk.

The officer on that case says he tried talking Irene down, but again she appeared wasted and was combative. So much so, he claims she charged at him, and he had to pin her down to cuff her. Cops also say it took several officers to drag her into jail.

The second time around, Irene was only booked for disorderly conduct before she was released, once again, without bail.