Missing CA Teen Cops Confirm Kiely Rodni Found Dead
1:04 PM PT -- 8/23 -- The Placer County Sheriff's Office confirms that the body found inside a submerged vehicle is Kiely Rodni. Cops say they're in contact with her family and that the investigation is ongoing.
Authorities have broken their silence for the first time since a submerged vehicle with a body inside was discovered ... letting the public know they believe it to be Kiely Rodni.
The announcement was made Monday, almost 24 hours after a YouTube search and rescue team first claimed they had located Kiely's vehicle in Prosser Lake, upside down in about 14 feet of water.
Remember ... Dog the Bounty Hunter told us he was getting flooded with tips on Kiely's potential whereabouts, but he was reluctant to dive into the high-profile case as a result of all the backlash he got from the Gabby Petito case.
16-year-old Kiely was last seen alive Aug. 6 near Truckee, CA, where she and about 100 other teens were partying at a campground in the Lake Tahoe region ... and went missing late at night.
Police have not said how Kiely ended up in a car sunk in the lake, or if foul play is suspected.
Originally Published -- 8/22 11:12 AM PT
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Arkansas Police Brutality Homeless Man Beaten By Cops Wants Justice Searching for Attorney
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The homeless man beaten down by cops in Arkansas is now on the hunt for justice of his own, speaking with multiple attorneys to possibly represent him moving forward.
Sources connected to 27-year-old Randall Worcester tell us family members bailed him out of jail Monday in Van Buren, AR.
We're told he met up with his family hours after his release to talk strategy ... particularly where they'll go, legally, from here.
Our sources say Worcester has spoken with several attorneys already, and his family has been in contact with Bobby DiCello, an attorney out of Cleveland whose website claims he's "earned multimillion dollar verdicts for victims of civil rights abuses, catastrophic injuries, and defective products."
Bobby tells us he's making travel plans to be with Worcester and his family soon, and that everyone involved is shocked and appalled by the now-viral video ... and they're eagerly awaiting the opportunity to get Randall some justice.
As for what that justice might entail, nothing is off the table ... but first, Bobby tells us he's hoping for open dialog between cops and Worcester's family to talk about what happened and how to solve it.
The video, recorded Sunday at a gas station, is stunning ... you see 3 officers punching, kicking and slamming Worcester's head on the pavement. Cops reportedly were called to the scene because Worcester threatened a gas station clerk.
Arkansas Cops Suspended After Video of Brutal Beating of Homeless Man
As a result of the investigation, 2 Crawford County Sheriff's deputies have been suspended and an officer from the Mulberry Police Dept. has been put on administrative leave.
DiCello, who also represents the family of Jayland Walker -- the man shot by cops 46 times -- says the suspensions are a good start.
Clearly, there's a long way to go.
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'Pocahontas' Star Irene Bedard Arrested In Ohio ... For Disorderly Conduct
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Irene Bedard, the actor who voiced Pocahontas in the animated film, sounds like she had a rough day ... based on what cops are saying about her latest arrest.
The Disney star was arrested Friday in Greene County, Ohio for disorderly conduct ... and the arrest report paints a pretty sad picture.
According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, cops say officers were conducting a welfare check after receiving a report a woman had passed out in the bushes on a residential street.
When police arrived, they say they found Irene in a nearby parking lot and she displayed a roller coaster of emotions ... one moment she's talking calmly with cops and the next she's upset and crying.
Cops say Irene was with another woman, Sheila, who told police the name of someone they could contact for Irene ... causing Irene to scream about not wanting that person to get involved. Officers say Irene then dashed away from them and almost knocked over a table on the sidewalk.
The report says Irene stopped running and calmly walked with cops for a moment, then suddenly became furious over a previous interaction with police.
Remember ... Irene was arrested twice over a three-day period back in November 2020, and police body cam shows her getting hostile with the officers who showed up to talk to her.
'Pocahontas' Star Irene Bedard Screaming & Belligerent in 2 Arrest Videos
After things allegedly got heated this time, cops say Irene backed into a large window while yelling at the officers, who grabbed her by the wrist for fear she would shatter the glass, escorting her away.
Police say they confirmed Irene had no one to call to care for her, then told Irene she was under arrest ... and that's when cops say she tensed her arms and tried to pull out of one officer's grip, resulting in other officers restraining Irene with handcuffs.
The drama didn't end there ... cops say Irene became dead weight when they were taking her to the police car, so she had to be held up.
Irene was taken to Greene County Jail, where she was booked for disorderly conduct ... and we're told she was released from custody on Sunday.
We reached out to Irene's camp ... so far no word back.
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Oakland A's Couple Allegedly Engages In Sex Act At Game ... Cops Investigating
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A couple allegedly engaged in a sex act in the stands at the Oakland A's game on Sunday ... and now, police tell TMZ Sports they're investigating it all.
The two MLB fans were accused of going at it at some point during the Athletics' tilt with the Seattle Mariners at RingCentral Coliseum ... when a spectator in another part of the stadium appeared to capture the two getting it on in one of the last rows of the venue.
Footage appears to show the woman performing oral sex on the man for several seconds.
— Polar Bear Fan (@MPsMP4s) August 22, 2022 @MPsMP4s
An Oakland Police Dept. spokesperson says cops are aware of the allegations ... and have launched a probe into the matter.
"The Oakland Police Department was not alerted to this until after the game," the spokesperson said, "and we have initiated an investigation."
If charged and ultimately convicted, we're told the penalty for the offense is up to 6 months behind bars and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
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Afroman Cops Wrecked My Home in Raid, for Nothing ... I Need Ben Crump!!!
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We spoke to Afroman Monday on "TMZ Live," and he told us cops took trace amounts of some joints -- along with the vape and hemp -- but he's mostly upset about the force they used and the damage to his house. He says the cops now want HIM to come down to the station and make a statement.
Seems odd to us, and also to Afroman, who says he's desperately trying to get in touch with famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump to rep him.
Afroman's weekend was capped off by a lot of police activity -- his house was raided by law enforcement ... who were apparently on a drug hunt, and came in guns drawn.
The rapper -- who's originally from Palmdale, CA -- tells TMZ ... the Adams County Sheriff's Dept. burst into his property Sunday with their weapons drawn and orders being shouted. We're told they were in search of narcotics ... but in the end, came up empty-handed.
Afroman says he's not sure why they thought he was stashing illicit substances ... because all he had on hand, he insists, was a jar of hemp and a vape pen ... nothing else.
Afroman says he wasn't home at the time -- he was in Chicago -- he was notified by his neighbors, who got video and photos of the raid. Afroman tells us the believes this attempted bust is complete BS ... suggesting he was profiled over his music.
As you may know ... Afroman has a long history of rapping about weed and other misadventures. It's weird though -- his most famous songs are from back in the day, so if this music theory holds up ... it doesn't quite explain why cops thought something was amiss.
We've tried reaching out to the Sheriff's Dept. multiple times this morning to get an explanation on what exactly led to this and what they say they found, if anything. So far they haven't responded.
Afroman himself is outraged ... he took to IG to offer a bit more context on why this may have happened. According to him, it could have to do with him checking on a police report regarding a burglary at his home -- something ACSD apparently wasn't pleased with.
He writes, "One time my house got burglarize while I was on tour. For home insurance purposes I tried to fill out a police report. The cop came out three days later he told me they was really busy. He took my report. I would call every day and see if there was any progress being made. The Adams county sheriff department threaten to arrest me for checc-ing up on the case too frequently."
Afroman adds, "I excepted the fact that the police department is not necessary here to protect and serve me a blacc man in America so I just took my loss and never called bacc. Now here they are kicc-ing in my door looking for weapons of mass destruction and 100,000,000 pounds of weed lol wow Donald Trump calls these investigations witchhunts."
Originally Published -- 6:54 AM PT
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Arkansas 3 Cops Removed from Duty ... Video of Brutal Beating of Homeless Man
Three Arkansas sheriff's deputies have been benched after a video shows them wailing on a homeless man with alleged mental health issues.
The Crawford County Sheriff's Department confirms two of the men in uniform seen are their own deputies, and a third officer belongs to the Mulberry Police Dept. They were all teaming up Sunday on a young man -- kneeing him, slamming his head on the concrete and punching him in the face in order to restrain the man.
The brutal beating happened outside Kountry Xpress gas station, where the cops responded to a call for threats made to one of the clerks inside ... allegedly made by the man getting detained. Reports say the man was cooperative at first, but then things went south.
One report says the man allegedly tried to attack an officer, which is what apparently led to the beatdown. Regardless of what happened in the lead-up, the force shown by the officers is extreme.
At one point, the officers notice they're being filmed, and yell at bystanders to get lost. The Arkansas State Police is currently investigating.
Two of the officers have been suspended, and another placed on administrative leave.
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Jake Atlas Arrest Video ... Wrestler Pulled Celeb Card, Bashed 'Terrible At Sex' BF
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Former AEW star Jake Atlas told cops he was "an international trained superstar" and then slammed his boyfriend as "terrible at sex" in a rant during his arrest back in May ... new police video shows.
In the footage, obtained by TMZ Sports, you can see a police officer was trying to ask an agitated Atlas questions about an alleged domestic violence incident between him and his BF outside of his Orlando, Fl. home on May 23.
But, the wrestler, whose boyfriend had accused him of roughing him up during an argument earlier in the evening, appeared to be in no mood to play ball with the cop.
Instead, Atlas told the officer about his wrestling resume, all while bashing his boyfriend and their relationship repeatedly.
"I am an international trained superstar," said the 27-year-old, who is openly gay. "I have worked across the country, across the world, with my name. He is a nobody."
Atlas, real name Kenny Sanchez Martinez, went on to call the man a "f**ing bitch ass, f***ing p***y" ... before ultimately telling the cop, "[he] is a terrible boyfriend and he's terrible at sex."
AEW's Jake Atlas Charged W/ Domestic Violence After Allegedly Scratching Boyfriend
The cop tried repeatedly to get Atlas to tell his side of the story and explain the events that had gone down earlier in the evening, but the wrestler never seemed to cooperate. Atlas was eventually arrested on the scene and later booked on a domestic violence battery charge.
Atlas' charges were eventually dropped, however ... with officials writing in court documents, "this case is not suitable for prosecution."
— 𝗝𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗔𝗧𝗟𝗔𝗦 (@JakeAtlasReal) July 22, 2022 @JakeAtlasReal
The wrestler later commented on the case following its disposition in July, apologizing "for my wrongdoing and any hurt, disappointment and complication I may have caused to my colleagues and fans."
Atlas said he participated in an outpatient program to deal with "a dual diagnosis in substance abuse and mental health," and is continuing to seek treatment.
Atlas wrestled in the WWE from 2019 to 2021, and later went on to wrestle with AEW in late 2021. But, after suffering a significant knee injury in Jan. 2022, he has yet to return to the ring.
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Gary Busey Hit w/ Sex Offense Charges in NJ ... Appeared at Monster Con
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4:38 PM PT -- An attorney repping the Monster Mania Convention organizers in this matter tells TMZ ... "Our client, Monster-Mania LLC, is assisting authorities in their investigation into an alleged incident involving an attendee and a celebrity guest at its convention in Cherry Hill, New Jersey last weekend. Immediately upon receiving a complaint from the attendee, the celebrity guest was removed from the convention and instructed not to return. Monster-Mania also encouraged the attendees to contact the police to file a report."
They add, "The safety and well-being of all our attendees is of the utmost importance to Monster-Mania, and the company will not tolerate any behavior that could compromise those values. Monster-Mania will continue to assist the authorities in any and every way possible."
Gary Busey is facing criminal charges out of New Jersey after cops claim he made inappropriate contact with people, among other things.
The actor was hit with four charges Friday by the Cherry Hill Police Department -- two counts of criminal sexual contact, one count of criminal attempt/criminal sexual contact and one count of harassment.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Cops say this stems from a report of a sex offense during the weekend of August 12-14 at the Doubletree Hotel. They describe more than one incident that people reported during the Monster Mania Convention -- for which he was booked to appear -- but the details of any alleged acts are unclear at this point. CHPD didn't go into detail about what was reported.
There's no doubt Gary was in attendance for this thing BTW -- he took multiple photos with fans throughout the three days. Just check his tagged section on IG, and you'll see 'em all.
Met Gary Busey at Monster Mania this weekend! pic.twitter.com/EOFkcLmAco
— Ian Irza (@Irzanomics) August 15, 2022 @Irzanomics
Unclear if Busey is still in town or not, or what the process will look like to have to answer for these charges in Jersey if he has, in fact, left the state. He, of course, lives in California ... and it doesn't sound like he was arrested there on the spot last week.
We've reached out to Gary's reps ... so far, no word back. TMZ has also reached out to Cherry Hill PD for more info on what this is all about -- but they haven't responded yet.
Originally Published -- 11:17 AM PT
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Vanessa Bryant Breaks Down In Tears At Trial ... 'Disgusted' With Officials Over Kobe Photos
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Vanessa Bryant just talked about Kobe Bryant, Gianna, the crash and the photos that officials took of their bodies while on the stand -- and she was overcome with emotion while trying to explain how awful it all has truly been for her.
Using a handkerchief to wipe away tears after nearly every sentence -- Vanessa said she first learned of the crash after an assistant informed her of it at her home. She said L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva was the one who eventually told her there were no survivors.
Vanessa said on the stand that she begged him to secure the area, as she was concerned about paparazzi. She testified he didn't tell her at the time that his deputies had photographed her family members' bodies.
She later said she learned of the graphic photos through the Los Angeles Times report -- and, while speaking through sobs, she said it gutted her.
"I felt like I wanted to run down the block and scream," she said in the courtroom. "I can’t escape my body. I can't escape what I feel."
She added that she was "blindsided, devastated, hurt and betrayed" to know that authorities had snapped pics at the scene.
"I trusted them," she said. "I trusted them to not do these things."
Vanessa told the courtroom one of the most disturbing things to her was that because of where Gianna was located at the crash scene, she believed officials had to have moved the 13-year-old's body in order to photograph it.
"They took advantage that Daddy couldn't protect her," she said. "He was at the morgue."
Kobe Bryant Photo Trial, Bartender Allegedly Laughed After Seeing Crash Pics
Vanessa testified that if the photos ever got out, and if she were to somehow see them, it'd rip her apart.
"I don't ever want to see my babies in that way," she said, explaining to the courtroom that she lives in constant fear that the photos could surface. "Nobody should ever have to see their family in that way."
Vanessa Bryant arrives at the federal courthouse for her civil trial against LA County, over photos taken of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and their daughter Gianna. She is expected to testify this morning. @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/cGzhpPs5JU
— Tina Patel (@tina_patel) August 19, 2022 @tina_patel
As we reported, Vanessa arrived at the courtroom earlier Friday morning in a black dress, black coat and dark sunglasses. She wore a "Mama" necklace -- and appeared to be confident, flashing a smile on her way into the L.A. building.
The 40-year-old is suing L.A. County officials after learning deputies had taken and shared graphic photos from the wreckage scene.
Vanessa claimed in her suit the officials, and their actions, caused her severe emotional distress. She's suing for unspecified damages, including punitive damages ... and during her testimony on Friday, she said she's willing to "go through hell and back" to get justice for Kobe and Gianna.
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Marcell Ozuna Arrest Video ... MLBer Told Cops He Was Celebrating Braves Win Before Stop
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2:07 PM PT -- New police video shows Ozuna told a cop he had celebrated the Braves' big win over the Mets on Thursday night with a few beers before he was ultimately arrested for DUI on Friday morning.
In the footage, you can clearly hear Ozuna tell an officer, "We win today and we just kind of celebrated." He did add, though, that he thought he was completely fine to drive.
"I'm good, my man," he said.
Multiple times during the stop, according to the video, Ozuna referenced his status as a Braves player -- even saying at one point, "I'm just famous."
The footage also shows Ozuna -- who had roughly $8,000 worth of cash in his right front pocket -- needed to pee so badly following his arrest, officers let him out his cuffs so he could relieve himself on a bush.
1:32 PM PT -- Ozuna just addressed the arrest with reporters a few hours before the Braves' Friday night game ... and he said he was "disappointed" about it all.
Marcell Ozuna’s statement. He did not take questions pic.twitter.com/I6MyVpZhfC
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) August 19, 2022 @mlbbowman
"I disappointed my team, disappointed my family," he said. "And I don't have anything to say more, and it's a legal matter."
Marcell Ozuna pulled the celeb card during his DUI arrest on Friday morning -- telling a cop during the stop, "Sorry, I'm Ozuna from the Braves" ... this according to a new police report obtained by TMZ Sports.
In the docs, a Norcross Police Dept. officer said he pulled over Ozuna -- who was driving in a black 2021 Mercedes-Benz -- at around 3:35 AM after he says the MLB slugger was speeding in a 35 MPH zone while failing to stay in a lane.
Moments after being stopped, Ozuna allegedly told the officer, "Sorry, sorry, I'm Ozuna from the Braves." The baseball player's car reeked of booze, the police officer said in the report. The officer also claimed Ozuna had red and watery eyes.
Ozuna told the cop, according to the docs, that he was in Norcross heading to "the party." The officer said that he later learned the 31-year-old was on his way to "a nearby after-hours nightclub."
When Ozuna went to hand his driver's license to the cop, the officer said in the docs he also handed over an MLB ID card showing that he played for the Braves.
According to the report, just before administering field sobriety tests on Ozuna, the outfielder admitted he had drank "like three or four" beers before getting behind the wheel.
"If I'm drunk, if I can't drive, I do like this," the officer said in the docs, claiming Ozuna -- who allegedly had $8,000 in cash in his pocket -- "motioned for me to take his car key."
After administering three tests, the officer arrested Ozuna. But, according to the cop, Ozuna refused both a breath test and a blood test.
Records show he was eventually booked on charges of DUI and failure to maintain lane.
Hours before the arrest, the Braves had won a huge game over the Mets in Atlanta -- but Ozuna did not play in the contest.
This is the second time Ozuna has been arrested in the last 15 months -- he was previously taken into custody in May 2021 after he was accused of roughing up his wife in an incident in Sandy Springs, GA.
Ozuna -- who agreed to enter into a pretrial diversion program to close out the case a few months after the incident -- was suspended 20 games by the MLB over it all.
He later said before this season began that he apologized to his teammates, adding, "I made a mistake."
Marcell Ozuna on returning to #Braves after last year’s arrest on domestic violence charges. pic.twitter.com/cmH4MPpzoW
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) March 14, 2022 @DOBrienATL
Ozuna has played in 107 games for the Braves this season ... batting .214 with 20 home runs.
Originally Published -- 7:36 AM PT
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Dog The Bounty Hunter Getting Tips on Kiely Rodni Disappearance Reluctant to Jump In
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Dog the Bounty Hunter is getting a slew of tips on the disappearance of 16-year-old Kiely Rodni -- the girl who vanished near the Lake Tahoe area earlier this month -- but he's reluctant to do anything right now because of the blowback he got in the Gabby Petito murder investigation.
Dog's rep tells TMZ, some of the tipsters offer vague clues -- something he's used over the years to eventually develop solid leads -- and he's also been getting a slew of emails from people who just want him to jump in because of his track record in finding missing persons.
OCTOBER 2021
Here's the problem. When cops were setting their sights on Brian Laundrie, the man who murdered Gabby, Dog was honeymooning near the Florida home where Brian's sister lived, and he decided to jump in and help. The video of Dog knocking at the sister's door made the rounds and was heavily criticized ... some claiming he was meddling in a police investigation.
It's kind of a case, Dog thinks, of no good deed going unpunished. His rep says the way he operates ... he will not get involved in a missing person's investigation unless one of 2 things happen -- either he's invited by a family member or law enforcement to get involved, or 21 days have passed since the person was declared missing.
Dog the Bounty Hunter Wades Through Swampy Waters in Search for Brian Laundrie
The reason for 21 days ... Dog says that's when missing persons cases typically go cold.
So, Dog is now waiting ... waiting for an invite or for 3 weeks to pass. He's also waiting for solid clues on where Kiely might be.
Kiely was last seen leaving a high school grad party near the Lake Prosser reservoir in Nevada County, CA in early August ... about 200-300 people were at the same event ... but the teen remains unaccounted for.
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'RuPaul's Drag Race' Star Denies Stealing Hundreds from Audience Member ... Police Investigating
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12:25 PM PT -- A spokesperson for the LVMPD now tells us they've located a telephonic report made by the woman against Bryan. The case is now being investigated as possible larceny, a felony.
A famous drag queen is denying stealing a massive amount of cash from a guest who claims the performer straight-up jacked her in plain sight ... a moment that was captured on video.
Bryan Watkins -- who currently performs as 'Shannel' for the 'Drag Brunch' show in Vegas -- was accused of lifting somewhere between $500 and $700 from the purse of a woman named Meggy during a performance last weekend. Video from the event appears to show Bryan taking money, although it's unclear how much.
Bryan -- who competed on season 1 of "RuPaul's Drag Race" -- says he absolutely did NOT take the large amount Meggy is claiming.
Now, as for the actual accusation here -- Meggy outlined it pretty clearly in a viral TikTok video ... saying Bryan was going around the room for some sort of purse gag, and eventually came to hers -- which had $1,300 in there for her birthday blowout.
Meggy claims Bryan rifled through her bag and plucked a significant wad of cash -- and that when she confronted him about it ... he kicked her out of the show, without returning any of the cash.
Bryan admits to taking some loot, but says it was only a couple bucks as a gag, not hundreds like Meggy claimed. He says the venue's management refunded the woman's tickets and even offered to pay her $700 as a good-faith apology ... but that wasn't enough.
Meggy claims to have gone to the cops over the alleged theft ... but a spokesperson for the Las Vegas Metro Police Department tells us they don't have a record of the incident.
Regardless, Bryan says he'll never touch an audience member's belongings again.
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BRITNEY SPEARS Ex-Hubby Facing Felony Charges For Alleged Bracelet Theft
3:01 PM PT -- 8/17 -- Jason was just arraigned and released on his own recognizance, he'll be back in court September 13.
The hits keep coming for Britney Spears' first husband Jason Alexander ... after serving his sentence for crashing Britney's wedding, he's now facing felony charges for an old alleged crime.
The Napa County Sheriff tells TMZ ... Jason was booked today on an arrest warrant issued back in 2016 stemming from an alleged jewelry theft, and he's been charged with two felonies.
We're told Jason is charged with grand theft and buying/receiving stolen property ... and he was picked up Tuesday from Ventura County jail by Napa authorities after serving a 60-day sentence for crashing Britney's wedding.
TMZ broke the story ... Jason had a felony warrant out for his arrest in Napa County when he got busted in June at Britney's ceremony. Cops in Napa say Jason swiped a $2,000 bracelet from a woman there in 2015 when he was a houseguest.
As we first told you ... cops say Jason had been living in the woman's house for only a few weeks when she claims she noticed jewelry missing from her bedroom. Police say Jason later admitted to the woman he stole her diamond and sapphire tennis bracelet, valued at $2k, and pawned it off.
Now, the alleged theft is coming back to bite him.
Originally Published -- 8/16 6:04 PM PT
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Anne Heche Desperate 911 Call from Crash Scene ... Someone is Trapped
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Anne Heche was trapped in her vehicle as fire quickly spread and onlookers worked desperately to get her out ... and the panic plays out in the 911 call from the scene.
The caller -- who appears to be a neighbor of the home Anne crashed into -- tells the dispatcher Anne's car went through the home "very fast." At first, it doesn't appear the caller is aware of the fact Anne is trapped in the car, but you can hear people yelling in the background making it clear that someone is in trouble.
AUGUST 2022
The call gets much more desperate when smoke starts to surround the vehicle -- and the caller works to get a water hose to the crash scene.
You can start to hear sirens in the background as the caller states the smoke is getting really black and fire breaks out ... and there's more shouting in the background about someone being trapped.
TMZ broke the story, it was August 5 when Anne crashed into the home -- an event that put her in a coma and eventually killed her. Law enforcement sources told us the actress had cocaine and possibly fentanyl in her system at the time of the crash.
Anne was declared brain dead Friday and taken off life support on Sunday, a medical team worked to harvest some of her organs for donation.
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Alec Baldwin Attorney Disputes FBI Findings ... He Speaks to Chris Cuomo
7:49 AM PT -- Alec Baldwin is speaking for himself amid new mixed findings about his potential culpability in the fatal 'Rust' shooting -- and while it seems he did so before any of it came out ... it's interesting, nonetheless.
AB recently did an interview with none other than Chris Cuomo -- who's got his own little network now -- and the sit-down aired Tuesday. In the video, Chris asks Alec about all the fallout and how he deals with it ... and Alec says definitively, he's not the victim here.
He emphasizes Halyna is the victim, and he'll likely recover from this saga ... sooner or later. But with that said, he does again defend himself -- saying he knows what happened, as do the people who were on set that day. Alec suggests all the speculation and armchair analysis from the media and others is meaningless ... and he's certain his name will be cleared.
Again, this interview seems to have been done before the FBI issued its report ... which says he must've pulled the trigger. In his chat with Cuomo, Alec says that did not happen -- so he's sticking to his story here, and seems content letting the chips fall where they may.
The FBI is wrong about Alec Baldwin pulling the trigger on the set of 'Rust' -- so says the actor's attorney, who thinks the Bureau's report is flawed.
Luke Nikas, AB's lawyer, gave his take to Fox News Monday -- this as Halyna Hutchins' death was officially deemed an accident the same day -- saying the feds are incorrect to conclude Alec pulled the trigger ... because the testing they did doesn't show that.
Nikas says, "The FBI report is being misconstrued." He adds, "The gun fired in testing only one time -- without having to pull the trigger -- when the hammer was pulled back and the gun broke in two different places. The FBI was unable to fire the gun in any prior test, even when pulling the trigger, because it was in such poor condition."
Essentially, Nikas seems to be suggesting either the report's findings are misrepresented -- seeing how they've only been reviewed/reported on by ABC -- or the FBI simply misstated what they actually did in the lab to get to the bottom of this. Either way, he claims it's bunk.
Alec Baldwin Must Have Pulled Trigger in 'Rust' Shooting, FBI Concludes
You'll recall ... the FBI, per ABC, said there was no way the gun Alec used went off without him pulling the trigger, as they tried firing it by just manipulating the hammer -- which is what Alec said he did. They insisted ... when the gun's working properly, that's impossible.
While it was unclear from ABC's report (and the language cited from the report) whether the FBI had actually tested the old revolver in question, Nikas appears to be implying they did.
OCTOBER 2021
Here's another thing ... Nikas says the FBI's report on the gun doesn't even matter, big picture, because the Santa Fe Medical Investigator's Office came back with its own pivotal finding over Halyna's death ... and they've officially deemed it an accident.
Nikas says, "The critical report is the one from the medical examiner, who concluded that this was a tragic accident. This is the third time the New Mexico authorities have found that Alec Baldwin had no authority or knowledge of the allegedly unsafe conditions on the set, that he was told by the person in charge of safety on the set that the gun was ‘cold,’ and believed the gun was safe."
All of these findings -- the FBI's and the medical investigator's -- have been sent off to New Mexico officials for further consideration. The D.A. has yet to make a decision on criminal charges.
Alec, of course, has already been dragged into court civilly ... but denied any responsibility.
Originally Published -- 6:31 AM PT
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Eric & Eliza Roberts Scary Intruder Escapes Into the Darkness
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Eric and Eliza Roberts had a frightening encounter with an intruder who apparently set his sights on her as she walked up her driveway in the dead of night.
Eliza tells us ... her daughter drove her to San Fernando Valley home Friday night at around 9 PM. Eliza got out of the car at the curb, said goodbye to her daughter and entered the code on her security gate. It opened and she walked up the long driveway to the home.
Just as Eliza walked inside, Eric walked outside and came face-to-face with the intruder, who was just feet from the front door.
The man looked at Eric and said, "I know you" ... presumably the guy recognized Eric from his work in film. Eric was taken aback and asked the guy why he was there. The man didn't give a clear answer and Eric was alarmed, telling the guy to beat it.
The man went back down the driveway in the dark, and Eric went inside. He and Eliza then realized the guy might still be lurking in the bushes so they called the cops.
Police arrived a short time later but there was no sign of the intruder.
Eliza is one lucky woman, because all signs point to an intruder who was up to no good.