The Philly.com Inquirer reports on the penalties Bam Margera is facing for his California DUI.
Bam Margera, 38, was arrested following a traffic stop in Los Angeles in January. Officers observed the Jackass star talking on his cell phone and initiated a traffic stop. The officer smelled alcohol on Margera’s breath and performed a field-sobriety test, which Margera failed. He was charged with two counts of DUI.
The arrest marked Margera’s first for DUI and he rapidly checked into rehabilitation afterward.
Margera has admitted to having difficulties with alcohol and traces those problems back to the 2011 drunk-driving death of good friend Ryan Dunn. He also attributed his problems with alcohol to his success with Jackass and said that alcohol gave him the courage to do the reckless stunts performed within the series.
Although Margera will not have to serve a jail sentence, he will have to serve a three-year probation period. He also had to pay fines, the amount of which was undisclosed. Also, as part of his sentence, Margera must attend the Alcoholics Anonymous treatment program. Part of this treatment program must be served at a “live in” treatment facility.
If convicted of a first offense DUI in California, you can face several thousand dollars in fines, jail time, and license suspension.. The amount of jail time can be anywhere from a few days to six months in jail. In some cases, this can be waived as a part of probation. That probation is generally unsupervised probation, but if you commit any crime other than a minor traffic offense, you can go to jail. Another consequence of a first time DUI is the requirement that you attend DUI classes.
