Jeffrey Donovan, star of the USA Network series Burn Notice, was arrested by Miami Beach policeon suspicion of drunk driving, according to the Associated Press. The41-year-old actor was reportedly pulled over after he swerved to avoid hitting apolice car from behind, and he then allegedly refused to take a Breathalyzer test. According to PEOPLE.com,which cited the official arrest report, Donovan told officers afterfailing a field sobriety test, "I really think I'm only borderline andnot too drunk…. The only mistake I made tonight was drinking Benadrylwith three glasses of wine." Donovan was released on $1,000 bail. Ifconvicted of DUI, he could face up to six months in jail.Calls to reps at the USA Network were notimmediately returned.
UPDATE: Dovovan's rep declined to comment, "as the case is currently a pending matter in the court system."
More on Jeffrey Donovan arrest:
Ken Tucker's Watching TV: Do we really need to see the mugshot?
Comments (1-30) of 36 Add your comment
So sad to see this happen to him. Love him to death and hopefully nothing like this will happen again to him.
No big surprise here… shows he’s as arrogant off-screen as on. PUH-LEEZE – only three little drinks? Doesn’t he read about drunk driving? Or he just doesn’t care and thinks he’s immune from police catching him? He definitely needs a wake-up call.
That’s a lame excuse. Lawyer needs to muzzle him. But seeing how you can drunk drive and kill somebody in FL and only serve 24 of a 30 day sentence. I guess this shouldn’t be a big deal
Grab your torch and pitchfork!!! Let’s run him out of town. REALLY?!?!? Not that I am condoning this behavoir(I lost an uncle and grandfather to a DD accident), but for the love of god he’s human!!! People make mistakes and then say stupid sh** when they are caught. Give him a break and let him and the law deal with it!!
Um, yeah mike. Maybe we should get the pitchforks when people keep doing things like this and obviously feel no remorse or any other humbling feelings when they make arrogant comments like that. I’m not saying I wouldn’t watch anything with the guy, but considering he’s going to walk away with a slap on the wrist like all other drunk drivers, I think he can take a little well deserved online criticism.
i’ve never met him in person, but he’s a good guy. he donated HUGE money to his high school for their arts program — a public school that needed the money. you don’t see everyone doing that. i hope he learns from this and doesn’t do something that stupid again.
i met him once in person and he was a really nice guy. seriously. before everyone gets all up in arms calling for his head…people are people. they do and say stupid things. yeah, he should have called a cab and honestly there’s no excuse for driving intoxicated. but people do it. hopefully he learns his lesson. if he does it again and gets arrested, then sure…cr*p all over him – he’ll deserve it. for now, sheesh…
It’s all a ploy to get close to the guy in prison, who has a connection to the group that burned him. You watch: Sam and Fi will blow up the prison wall and break him out in time to catch the smugglers.
They should give him a break. Burn Notice is a good program that helps promote Miami.
Come on people, First, we dont know all the details. Second, he who is without sin may cast the first stone, as the saying goes. Havent any of you EVER, EVER EVERRRRRRR made a mistake, had a drink and drove, been late for work, stolen office supplies from work, eaten grapes or something in the grocery without paying, bought a bootleg copy of a movie or cd, took a painpill or any other drug not prescribed to you, “tried” weed, cheated in a relationship… The fact the HE SWERVED TO AVOID THE ACCIDENT says he couldnt have been that wasted, or else he WOULD have wrecked! This may well be a one time incident being blown way out of proportion, give the guy a freakin break! Now, I will say this, if it happens again, or it comes to light that he habitually does this and things like this, then, fair is fair, and he should take what punishment he gets, but seriously people, come on! Shelly, . . . . .COME ON! (lol madtv reference there, didja get that?)
Now, what would Michael Westen do?
REDISCOVER:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndIZuppIPkA
People we really dont know what happened, but I am going to cast all kind of stones, not saying that I am without sin, but i just like to throw stones to see who i knock out with them.
I’m not saying the guy has no merit…but it was a stupid thing to do. The thing that upsets me is how much people will go out of their way to defend celebrities. If this were a rando, you people would not be making excuses. What sets him apart for me is his obviously bad “can’t touch this” attitude at the scene. Celebs think they can get away with everything and based on these comments, I see why.
I can’t believe that everyone is so up in arms about this. First of all, a lot of people drive drunk, or get pulled over. I don’t see Entertainment Weekly writing a story about EVERY freaking traffic violation that EVER happens. I wonder how it must feel to have everyone with access to the internet and too much free time on their hands (I’m included in this) knowing about everything you’ve ever done wrong in your life. He must not have been so drunk that his reaction time(s) were too slow for him to swerve to avoid the accident. As for idiots saying that he’s “just as arrogant offscreen as on,” come ON! Have none of you ever been drunk before? MOST people are jerks when they’re drunk! I’m not saying that what he did was right, but let’s cut him some slack. Everyone deserves to make incredibly stupid mistakes, as long as he doesn’t do it again.
Plus, Burn Notice is an awesome show.
Must See!!
http://tinyurl.com/qk8gdb
Would people be saying “it’s no big deal,” “give him a break,” or “everyone’s done it” had he hit a pedestrian or crashed into a car?
If he had a Benadryl and 3 glasses of wine, he was probably “buzzed,” but like the ads say, “buzzed driving is drunk driving.” But, it sounds as though he had had more than just 3 glasses of wine.
It’s a shame because he seems like a good guy who keeps himself in shape, and yes, people make mistakes, but had he hurt someone, or worse, it would have been a HUGE mistake.
Thankfully, nobody was hurt and he was stopped. If he has a drinking problem, maybe this will get him to seek help. If it was a “mistake” and the result of “bad decisions” hopefully this will prevent him from doing it again.
I’m guessing that if he has a clean record and this is the first offense that they’ll he’ll end up doing some sort of community service with some sort of alcohol awareness program or alcohol abuse facility and make a PSA.
What a shame. As a fan, I can only hope that Jeffrey works through this and comes out stronger on the other side. He’s a great actor and a good guy, and I suppose it’s always possible that the pressures of celebrity can start to close in. Regardless, I’m wishing him the best.
Thanks to Caits for proving my point.
He refused to take a breathalyzer test but submitted to the field sobriety test? Big mistake. Even legally sober people “fail” the field sobriety test because the person deciding whether you pass or not (the cop) already thinks you’re drunk.
The field sobriety test will NOT help you. It CANNOT help you. It exists for one reason only, and that is to provide the cop with evidence to use against you. So plead the 5th (if you’re in the U.S.), accept that you’re going to be arrested, and let a blood test determine how drunk you are.
Better yet, don’t drink and drive in the first place.
People he was in “character” – the snarky, snarky character …..
First, I have been a Jeff Donovan fan since “Homicide: L.O.T.S.”. “Burn Notice” is my favorite show. Bottom line: He’s an actor with a hit series – could have called a car service or taxi & I’m sure the studio would have even picked up the tab. He’s a 41 yr old adult not a 17 yr old kid with a new license and no experience with alcohol. To him and anyone over 18: Grow up!
Don’t bother posting to the Ken Tucker article. They just censor anyone who disagrees or provides a good point. Disappointing EW really..
i agree with rev.
he’s human; he makes mistakes.
whoop-di-freakin-do.
they should have left him alone it the burn notice guy to bad he could get out of that…Lol
We all make mistakes, sometimes again, and again, diffrence is, we are not being watched for money 24/7. Jonthan has made a great career for himself, he has a great home life. If this witch hunt causes him distress, its the fans fault not his. I think he is absolutely amazing!
i agree he is human and he made a mistake i love this dude he is an awesome hit series actor but i will admit he is kinda dumb to say im on the edge but not fully drunk thats dumb haha but i hope he gets out quick cuz he needs to keep this show goin plus next time bring a friend or something so that they can NOT let u drive but i hope he doesnt get DUI so that he wont have to be away for six months
i love this guy to much,i wish him luck and hope eveything go fine.
Bad TV husband! BAD BAD TV husband!!! Go to my room!!!
http://www.slyfoodie.slyparadox.com
I think he should be nailed. Almost hitting a cop car and saying he did not see the light or the car and swerving with screeched brakes into the left lane. He absolutely could have killed or maimed someone or himself. Lieing to a police officer about 3 glasses of wine and a…ahem…Benadryl. OK, so I do not know for certain but that is most likely a code word for cocaine. He just wanted to say this because he knew he would be showing other behaviour. They have a right to search the car and may have done so by now. He failed field test and would not take a breathelizer. I believe in FL you can get up to a year for that. They will back track his steps that night and find bartenders and citizens who will say what he was drinking. He is in fact burned. Facing 6 months in jail? They better give him his own cell. He is too pretty to be with someone else.