Legendary US gymnast goes down for a DUI in her Porsche
Fairmount, West Virginia, police pulled over Olympic legend Mary Lou Retton in her Porsche earlier this month. The authorities arrested the celebrity gold medalist for a DUI after she refused to take a breathalyzer or blood test at the scene. The news comes two years after Retton battled a near-fatal case of pneumonia.
West Virginia police arrested US Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton for a DUI in her Porsche
According to police in Fairmont, 57-year-old Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton is back in the headlines. But this time, it’s for a driving under the influence (DUI) crime in her West Virginia hometown. Police reported that Retton’s charge is one of “driving under influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs.”
According to the BBC, Retton was driving her Porsche at the time of the arrest. Fairmont police reportedly asked the former Olympic gymnast to take a blood test or blow into a breathalyzer. Both are common means of verifying a driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC). In West Virginia, a BAC of 0.08% or higher is DUI territory.
Retton refused the breathalyzer and blood test, prompting police to put her through a standard field sobriety test (SFST). The gymnast, who at one point was considered “America’s Sweetheart,” reportedly failed the sobriety test.
Paired with the fact that police found wine in her car, smelled alcohol on her breath, and observed her slurring her speech, they had enough reason to arrest her for a DUI. It’s a long way from doing flips at the Olympics or on set alongside Bill Murray in “Scrooged.”
The Porsche in question is likely her 2015 Porsche Panamera, per the Daily Mail Archives. Certainly no 911 Turbo, but Retton reportedly took home the Panamera as part of a divorce settlement from Texas Longhorns QB-turned-real estate mogul Shannon Kelley.
The news arrives two years after Retton had a battle with pneumonia that nearly killed her. Retton raised around $500,000 in donations in her fight against the illness. However, critics still question why the divorced gymnast didn’t have health insurance.
