“Kill Bill” star Michael Madsen arrested on suspicion of drunk driving
Actor Michael Madsen has been arrested on Thursday for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.
According to reports, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said that a citizen first spotted 54-year-old Michael Madsen driving erratically on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California, around 2:50PM and decided to call the police.
Responding deputies then saw the actor weaving through traffic in his Pontiac GTO with a red flame paint job. Michael Madsen was eventually pulled over, and when the cops interviewed him about his antics, the cops said he reeked with the smell of alcohol.
The “Kill Bill” star was subsequently arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol after poorly performing on a field sobriety test.
Steve Whitmore also said that Michael Madsen submitted to a breathalyzer test after his drunk driving arrest,. The results reportedly showed .20 — more than double the legal limit of .08 in California.
Madsen has since been booked for misdemeanor driving under the influence, and his bail is set at $15,000. As of press time, he remains in custody, while his Pontiac GTO was towed away from the arrest scene and has been impounded.
Madsen’s attorney, Perry Wander, said that the actor wants to assure his fans that he did not fail the field sobriety test and “believes that the breathalyzer test is flawed.”
Wander added that Madsen insists the whole thing is just a big misunderstanding.
This is said to be the latest run-in with the law of Michael Madsen. It comes just a few months after he was arrested in his Malibu home back in March. Madsen allegedly got into a physical altercation with his son when the actor caught the teen smoking marijuana.
Michael Madsen was held in prison on $100,000 bail after being charged with child endangerment with cruelty to a child.
When the case was dropped due to insufficient evidence, the actor’s attorney, Perry Wander said, “Michael is grateful that this unfortunate family incident is now closed and thanks those that thoroughly investigated this matter.”
Madsen’s son did not require medical attention after the conflict.
Wander added, “[Michael] found his son smoking pot and they got in an argument when he tried to take it away. It’s a family matter and Michael asks that his family’s privacy be respected.”
But that same month, Michael Madsen was arrested for the second time on a separate charge — a less serious misdemeanor offense, and was released after coughing up $5,000 bail.
Michael Madsen rose to fame during the early 1990’s after he appeared in the box office hit “Thelma & Louise” and the cult favorite, “Reservoir Dogs.”
He continued to land big roles in the likes of 1997′s “Donnie Brasco” and the “Kill Bill” franchise.
Madsen has been noted in the past for his charity work, and in 2002 was presented with an award for his efforts to aid Shriners Hospitals for Children.