DUI

Pittsburgh Steelers legend Hines Ward had ONE concern during his DUI arrest last summer ... the media finding out about it -- this according to police dash cam footage obtained by TMZ.

During the tape, Ward asks one of the arresting officers, "This going to be all on the newspaper though?" The officer replies, "Only if you tell somebody."

DUI is no laughing matter -- but there is one funny moment, when Hines was sitting in the back of the squad car and the officer slammed on the brakes ... sending Ward's forehead into the plastic divider.

TMZ broke the story -- Ward was arrested in DeKalb County, Georgia last July after a police officer observed the football star failing to maintain lane in his Aston Martin ... and hitting a curb.

Danny Veltri -- the guy who won "Hell's Kitchen" in 2009 -- was arrested at a gas station in Florida this weekend after cops say he went too heavy on the booze before getting behind the wheel.

According to police, cops got a call about an intoxicated driver at a gas station around 4:15 AM Sunday morning ... and when they arrived at the scene, Veltri was "intoxicated and in control" of a 2005 Dodge Neon.

Cops say Veltri took a breathalyzer test ... and his blood alcohol level was a .12 ... way over the limit, .08.

Veltri -- who's now a GM at a place called the Gnarly Surf Bar & Grill near Daytona Beach -- was eventually hauled to a nearby station where he was booked and released on $500 bail.

Retired NFL star Eddie George was sitting in the passenger seat ... when pro golfer Rachel Connor was busted for drunk driving in Florida early this morning ... TMZ has learned.

Connor -- a 21-year-old British golf pro -- was pulled over at 2:21 AM in Sarasota, Florida ... after cops say they noticed her speeding and weaving in her lane.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ ... cops smelled booze when they approached the vehicle ... and Connor admitted to drinking 2 vodka cranberries earlier in the evening.

Cops noticed a man in the passenger seat ... who was identified as 38-year-old Eddie George ... former NFL star and Heisman Trophy winner.

According to the report, Connor was given a breathalyzer test and blew a .133 and a .137 ... way over the legal limit, .08. Cops say she had trouble walking straight and couldn't count in numerical order.

According to the report, Cops asked Rachel if she could turn back the clock and change any of her decisions what would it be? ... And Rachel responded, she would have decided "not to drive."

Hours before the arrest, Connor tweeted a photo of Eddie on the golf course ... and another photo of herself and Eddie posing together at an event.

For the record -- Eddie was NOT arrested. We're told he took a cab home after the incident.

We called reps for both Eddie and Rachel -- so far, no response.

Boxing champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. -- son of the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez -- will have to fight to stay out of jail ... 'cause he was just charged with DUI stemming from an arrest earlier this year.

TMZ has learned ... the L.A. City Attorney has decided to hit Chavez with 3 misdemeanor charges ... 2 for drunk driving and 1 for driving without a valid license.

If convicted on all counts, JCC could face up to a year in county jail and a $1,000 fine.

He's due back in court to face the judge later this month.

Hines Ward better stay out of trouble for the next 12 months ... 'cause the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver has been sentenced to a year of probation stemming from his 2011 DUI arrest.

TMZ broke the story ... Ward was arrested for DUI in DeKalb County, Georgia on July 9 ... after cops say he was driving his Aston Martin like a drunken maniac ... weaving in and out of his lane and hitting a curb.

Now, Ward has struck a plea deal with prosecutors ... in which he pled guilty to reckless driving and no contest to failure to stay in his lane (below) ... and in exchange, the DUI charge was dropped.

Ward was sentenced to 12 months probation, 80 hours of community service and ordered to submit to an alcohol evaluation and any treatment suggested by the evaluators.

He was also ordered to pay $2,000 in fines and court costs.

Former "Home Improvement" star Taran Noah Smith has been charged with driving under the influence and possession of hash stemming from an arrest earlier this month ... TMZ has learned.

We broke the story ... the 27-year-old was popped in L.A. County on Feb 1 when cops saw him behind the wheel of a Honda Accord that was parked in front of a fire hydrant. Once they investigated the situation, we're told Smith had a "strong odor" of cannabis.

If convicted on both misdemeanor counts, Smith faces up to a year and a half in jail and $1,500 in fines.

He's due back in court in March.

"Final Destination 3" star Ryan Merriman has just been sentenced to a fate worse than jail in his DUI case -- alcohol education classes.

TMZ broke the story ... Merriman was charged with two counts of DUI last month after his boozy November arrest in Newport Beach. The actor pled no contest today to driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or more, and the remaining DUI count was dismissed.

Showing no mercy, the judge sentenced Merriman to an accelerated alcohol program -- and 3 years informal, unsupervised probation.

Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno was arrested for drunk driving in Denver earlier this month ... and in an ironic twist of fate, cops say the license plate on his ride read "SAUCED."

According to the Denver PD, 24-year-old Moreno was driving his convertible Bentley on Feb. 1 when he was pulled over for doing 70 in a 45 ... in a construction zone.

Police say Moreno smelled like booze ... and when he performed poorly on a field sobriety test, they arrested him for DUI.

Cops say Moreno was "very respectful and polite."

The Broncos released a statement ... saying, "We take the incident involving Knowshon Moreno very seriously and are thoroughly reviewing this matter. Our organization will continue to gather information and closely monitor this issue while the legal process runs its course."

Thanks to FastandRare.com for a shot of the Bentley.

Middleweight boxing champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. -- son of the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez -- has been arrested for DUI, TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Julio was pulled over in his black Land Rover for a routine traffic stop last weekend on an L.A. freeway -- and when officers approached the vehicle, they detected a strong odor of alcohol.

The officers administered several field sobriety tests -- and we're told Julio's reflexes weren't quit up to par, so they placed him under arrest.

One of the stars of the new Discovery Channel show "Bering Sea Gold" has been arrested on suspicion of DUI -- after allegedly backing into a pedestrian and fleeing the scene, TMZ has learned.

Shawn Pomrenke -- who is the co-owner of the biggest gold dredge on the show -- was arrested on December 9th in Nome, Alaska and subsequently booked on four counts ... DUI, failing to return to the scene of an accident, driving without insurance, and assault in the third degree.

According to the criminal complaint, obtained by TMZ, Shawn was backing out of a parking lot when he struck a pedestrian who was carrying groceries -- then took off ... "smiling and giving a thumbs up."

Cops caught up with Shawn down the road -- and claim the guy admitted to having a couple drinks ... and not having car insurance. According to police, Shawn then registered a blood alcohol level of .125 on a breathalyzer -- nearly twice the legal limit -- and bombed a field sobriety test.

Taran Noah Smith, the youngest kid from "Home Improvement," was arrested early this morning for alleged DUI and possession of drugs -- hash, to be specific.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... 27-year-old Smith was arrested in LA County around 1:00AM. Cops believe he was under the influence of marijuana at the time of his arrest -- and we're told they also found a stash of hash ... a type of marijuana.

Smith, best known for his role as little Mark Taylor, is still in custody ... currently being booked for the DUI and the drug possession, which is a felony.

Sources tell us ... Smith was behind the wheel of his 1998 silver Honda Accord, which was parked at an angle in front of a fire hydrant when an officer decided to investigate the situation.

We're told the officer smelled a "strong odor" of weed and believed Smith was under the influence.

"Star Trek" star Avery Brooks was busted for DUI ... TMZ has learned.

63-year-old Brooks -- who played Benjamin Sisko on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" -- was arrested Sunday in Wilton, Connecticut after someone complained he was driving erratically.

Cops pulled Brooks over and after a sobriety test he was arrested for DUI.

If convicted, Brooks could get 6 months in the pokey, although in most states first-time offenders end up with probation -- and as far as we know Brooks has no priors.

A rep for Brooks has no comment.

Flo Rida just scored big in his DUI case -- TMZ has learned, the rapper struck a sweet deal with prosecutors that will land him in a classroom ... rather than a jail cell.

As TMZ first reported ... Flo -- real name Tramar Dillard -- was busted in Miami Beach back in June on suspicion of DUI inside his million-dollar Bugatti. At the time, cops said Flo's blood alcohol level was .185 ... more than twice the legal limit.

But an attorney for Mr. Rida was in court today -- and got the judge to send Flo to a first-time offenders program instead of the slammer ... a thing called "Back on Track," which entails a bunch of stuff like substance abuse classes, counseling, community service, and drug testing.

2010 Miss USA Rima Fakih was HAMMERED when cops arrested her for DUI this weekend ... this according to Michigan police.

According to the police report, obtained by the AP, Fakih was initially stopped when officers noticed the 26-year-old speeding and weaving through traffic in Detroit early Saturday morning.

Cops say Fakih "immediately identified herself as Miss USA."

According to the report, Fakih took a breathalyzer and blew more than TWICE the legal limit -- once blowing a .19 and then a .20. The legal limit in MI is .08.

Officers claim they also found a half-empty bottle of wine on the floorboard behind the driver's seat.

Former Miss USA Rima Fakih was arrested in Michigan early Saturday for suspicion of drunken driving ... this according to an attorney for the beauty queen.

Police would not confirm the arrest -- and Fakih even tweeted yesterday she wasn't even in Michigan -- but her attorney, Donald Elder, told the Detroit Free Press, "Unfortunately she was."

Elder told the paper Fakih was "very saddened and very apologetic for the situation that she is in right now."

As for the tweet, Fakih posted around 5:00 PM on Saturday: "Let’s clear things up now.... I’m NOT in Michigan and I’m NOT in jail! Wrong Fakih."

The tweet has since been deleted.

Ryan Merriman, one of the stars of the movie "Final Destination 3," was arrested in Newport Beach, CA late last night after cops suspected he was driving under the influence ... TMZ has learned.

Merriman was originally pulled over for stopping past the solid line at a red light -- when cops suspected the actor wasn't sober.

Merriman was arrested on suspicion of DUI and hauled to a nearby station -- where he was booked.

Story developing ...