Crime & Arrests

Ex-MLB superstar Johnny Damon was arrested for DUI in Florida early Friday morning -- and cops say his blood-alcohol level was more than TWICE the legal limit.

The 47-year-old -- who played for the Boston Red Sox and NY Yankees -- was pulled over by the Windermere Police Dept. (in the Orlando area) around 8:15 AM.

During the stop, cops say Damon showed signs of intoxication and at some point, they tested his blood alcohol level which came back at "greater than or equal to .20."

The legal limit to drive is .08.

Damon was arrested and booked on multiple charges including driving under the influence and resisting arrest without violence.

Damon was hauled to a nearby station where he posed for a mug shot -- and spent time in a holding cell.

Damon is a 2-time World Series champion and made 2 All-Star teams during his 18 seasons as an MLB player.

After his playing days, Damon appeared as a contestant on Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" in 2014 as well as competing on "Dancing with the Stars" in 2018.

Damon was one of the key cogs in breaking Boston's famous World Series draught -- banding together with his "idiots" to win the title in 2004.

He later left Boston to play for the rival NY Yankees -- and cut his famous long hair in the process.

Story developing ...

George Floyd's murder trial is set to begin next month -- pandemic be damned -- and the courtroom's setup shows extensive coronavirus precautions are being made.

Here's the first look at the 18th-floor courtroom at the Hennepin County Government Center, where on March 8 ... former Minneapolis PD officer Derek Chauvin will stand trial for Floyd's murder.

The room's been set up for COVID-19 safety, with what looks like socially distanced seating for the jury, plexiglass dividers for the attorneys, judge and those who take the witness stand ... and hand sanitizer everywhere.

As we've reported ... Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter for his role in Floyd's death. He's seen in the horrific arrest video with his knee pressed on Floyd's neck for roughly 8 minutes, including nearly 2 minutes after he stopped breathing.

The man who allegedly assaulted the 52-year-old Chinese mother of Olivia Munn's friend has been arrested ... and the actress is thanking the Internet for helping cops nab the guy.

According to the NYPD ... Patrick Mateo from Queens was arrested Thursday and booked on charges of assault and harassment.

Cops say they responded to a 911 call Tuesday for an assault outside a bakery. According to police ... the suspect got into a verbal dispute with the 52-year-old woman, then pushed her and caused her to hit her head. The incident was captured on surveillance cam before the guy fled the scene.

Munn put the word out on social media Wednesday that her friend's 5'3" Asian mother had been attacked, and shared a photo of the suspect in order to try to generate tips leading to his arrest.

Olivia's tweeting out praise, saying ... "F**k this guy. The internet is undefeated. Thank you thank you thank you." She added the hashtags #StopAsianHate and #ProtectOurElders.

Law enforcement sources tell us the alleged victim told cops she was waiting in line at the bakery when her attacker approached and began yelling at her. The woman was transported to the hospital and treated for minor injuries.

Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa says he's still incredibly embarrassed by his recent DUI arrest -- and says the criticism that ensued has been nothing short of "torturous."

There 76-year-old MLB legend was arrested for drunk driving in Phoenix, AZ back in February 2020 (after leaving a dinner with some L.A. Angels staffers during Spring Training).

Cops say La Russa wrecked his car during the incident ... and bloodwork showed he had a BAC of .095.

But, the news of Tony's arrest didn't break until November 9 -- 11 days after La Russa was hired to manage the Sox. And, many wondered if the Sox would cut ties with Tony as a result (they ultimately didn't).

Now, TLR is finally addressing the incident and the aftermath -- admitting to USA Today, "I made no excuses, it was an inexcusable mistake."

"It has cost as much embarrassment personally as possible. Anyone to think that this wasn’t something that had a very negative impact ... I mean, part of the embarrassment and negative feelings is the impact on the organization and the fans and the people that hired me."

La Russa later reached a deal in the criminal case -- he pled guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving -- but says the incident added more pressure to succeed in his new role with the Sox.

"There were already enough questions of me managing, and then this. It has been torturous."

There's more ... La Russa -- who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 -- admits he was concerned about taking the Sox job because he wasn't sure if becoming an acting manager again would mean his plaque would be pulled out of Cooperstown.

"If this opportunity, as great as it is, cost me the Hall of Fame, I wouldn’t have taken it. The Hall of Fame is beyond everything else."

Sounds like Tony was worried that if he sucked as a manager this time around, the HOF wouldn't let him back in!

So, Tony says he called the HOF -- and officials assured him he would remain a Hall of Famer even if he took another active role with an MLB team.

Scott Miller -- a swimmer who won medals in the 1996 Summer Olympics -- was arrested in his home country of Australia this week ... after officials accused him of running a drug ring that was "intent on delivering death and misery."

Law enforcement made the announcement Down Under on Tuesday ... claiming Miller was a key cog in trying to spread over $1.5 million worth of methylamphetamine to regions in New South Wales.

Officials say the 45-year-old's drug dealings involved using candles to smuggle narcotics.

"For all intents and purposes, [they were] everyday candles," an investigator told media members.

"However they weren't laced with any fragrance, they were laced with half a kilo of methylamphetamine in each candle, and there were eight candles."

Officials said Miller was busted Tuesday ... claiming raids connected to the former star swimmer turned up "approximately one kilogram of heroin with a street value of $250,000, over $75,000 cash, mobile phones, documents, encrypted electronic devices and smaller amounts of prohibited drugs."

Officials added they arrested another man who they believe worked with Miller in the drug ring.

"They were well set up," an investigator said. "And they were intent on death and misery right throughout the state."

According to 9 News, Miller's attorney did NOT attempt to get bail for the ex-swimmer ... and it's now expected Miller will sit in jail until his next court hearing in April.

More legal trouble for Adam "Pacman" Jones ... the ex-NFL star was arrested again Monday morning after he allegedly beat a person unconscious.

Jail records show Jones was booked at 1:54 AM ET in Hamilton County, Ohio ... with court records revealing the 37-year-old was formally charged with one count of misdemeanor assault.

Details surrounding the incident are unclear ... we're working on it -- but according to court docs obtained by WCPO, Jones is accused of punching and kicking somebody in the head until they were knocked out.

Jones is due in court to face a judge later Monday.

Jones is no stranger to a jail cell, he's been arrested multiple times the past few years ... including once back in 2019 when he snapped after he was accused of cheating at an Indiana casino.

Officials in court docs said Jones threatened cops, and even told one of them to "suck my d***."

Jones eventually cut a deal with prosecutors in the case ... agreeing to plead guilty to one count of felony cheating at gambling and one count of misdemeanor resisting law enforcement. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail.

And, don't forget Pacman's infamous airport fight -- when he knocked a dude out inside a terminal. Jones was NOT accused of wrongdoing in that incident, but he definitely put his fighting skills on display.

Jones had a great NFL career after being selected in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft ... logging one Pro Bowl selection and one All-Pro honor before retiring in 2019.

Stacey Plaskett -- one of the House impeachment managers for Donald Trump's Senate trial -- clearly isn't pleased with his acquittal, but she thinks he'll face worse punishment ahead.

The Virgin Islands Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives joined "TMZ Live" Monday in the wake of Trump's second Senate acquittal, and she didn't hold back her feelings, calling the former President straight-up evil.

Now that the Senate trial is over, Plaskett told us she's all for the multiple state and federal investigations that could potentially lead to criminal charges or civil lawsuits against Trump. She strongly suggests he deserves "criminal punishment or otherwise for what he has done."

Plaskett also touches on a recent tragedy that befell her colleague -- lead impeachment manager Rep. Jamie Raskin -- whose son, Tommy, took his own life on December 31.

The insurrection is dividing heavy metal band Iced Earth ... the lead singer and bassist quit after the group's founder was arrested for allegedly raiding the Capitol.

Stu Block and Luke Appleton announced Monday they're no longer rocking with Iced Earth, citing Jon Schaffer's role in the deadly riot as the catalyst.

Stu, the lead singer, says the insurrection caused him to re-evaluate his life, work and future ... and Luke, the bassist, says he had no choice but to resign after what went down in D.C.

As we reported ... Iced Earth's founder turned himself in to the feds last month, and the FBI claims Schaffer sprayed Capitol police with "bear spray."

Schaffer's facing 6 charges in connection with the insurrection ... including violent entry, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and engaging in an act of physical violence in a Capitol building, among others.

With Stu and Luke out of the band, Iced Earth is down to just 2 members ... drummer Brent Smedley and Schaffer. Meanwhile, Iced Earth guitarist Jake Dreyer is distancing himself from the band.

A freshman at West Virginia University got arrested for barreling down a snowy street in a laundry cart and nailing a police cruiser ... and yes, alcohol was involved.

Josh Beard was partying with friends in the fresh snow ... a tradition at WVU whenever the town gets blanketed.

Josh turned the laundry cart into a sled, but there was one big problem.  You can steer a sled ... not so with a laundry cart, and the proof's in the pics.

Josh is rocketed out of the laundry car as it strikes the police car, and that's all cops needed to see. Josh makes a run for it but he's no match for the police.

He's been charged with disorderly conduct, underage drinking, destruction of property, fleeing from an officer and playing in the streets. Playing in the streets, seriously?

A 26-year-old former college basketball player has been arrested in Mexico after officials say he allegedly murdered a woman inside a Tijuana strip club.

... and it appears the murder was captured on surveillance video.

The suspect is Logan Kelley -- who played 3 games for Rutgers during the 2012-13 season before landing at the University of Montevallo, where he played in 20 games in the 2015-16 season. Before that, Kelley was a star high school player who led the state of NJ in scoring during his senior year.

But now, Kelley is making headlines for all the wrong reasons -- officials say he sneaked up behind a female employee at the Adelita Bar and sliced her neck with a folding knife Wednesday before trying to make a run for it, according to SD Union Tribune's Wendy Fry.

In a surveillance video, which we've seen but chosen not to publish, you can see a man wearing a COVID mask rush up behind the victim, stab her in the neck, and throw her to the ground while shocked bystanders scream in horror.

The footage also shows the suspect trying to run away.

Officials say Kelley was detained at the scene by security guards and held until police arrived to make the arrest. Cops have released a photo of Kelley taken after he was arrested.

Medical personnel raced to the club to try and treat the victim, but it was too late ... and she was declared dead at the scene. The victim has been identified by police as 19-year-old Isis Atalia Montoya Romero.

Police also say they have recovered the suspected murder weapon -- a 4 to 6-inch folding knife.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Malik Beasley was just sentenced to 120 days in jail -- and banned from owning guns for life -- this after he pled guilty to felony threats for pointing a firearm at a family during a bizarre incident back in September.

Prosecutors in Hennepin County, Minn. say Beasley's Plymouth house was accidentally put on a "Parade of Homes" list in the fall -- which is essentially a tourist guide for impressive mansions in the area. The list caused vehicle traffic around Beasley's home to increase -- which really pissed him off, prosecutors say.

Officials say on Sept. 26, Beasley got so frustrated that he walked toward a visiting car that was near the end of his driveway and pointed a gun at it. Prosecutors say he then ordered the family inside the ride to scram.

24-year-old Beasley -- who cops say was also in possession of marijuana at the time -- was later arrested ... and ultimately charged with felony threats of violence and felony drug possession.

At a virtual court hearing back in December, Beasley pled guilty to the threats charge ... and in exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop the drug charge.

At the hearing, Beasley said of his actions, "I was not in my right mind. I’m ready to move on."

Beasley returned to virtual court on Tuesday for sentencing ... and the judge ordered him to spend 120 days at a jail facility known as "The Workhouse" at Hennepin County Adult Corrections Facility.

As part of the sentencing, the judge ruled Beasley will NOT have to serve the time during the NBA season ... setting a tentative May 26 date to report to the jail.

The judge also said Beasley could end up being released on electronic home monitoring if COVID-19 precautions force that move.

Beasley was also ordered to complete an anger management program and was hit with a lifetime ban on owning firearms. Beasley was also ordered to not consume any alcohol or drugs, and complete random drug testing.

Prosecutors say Beasley read a statement at the hearing, telling the court, "I am not that person. I humbly apologize for my actions."

In a statement to NBA reporter Shams Charania, Beasley's attorney, Steve Haney, said, "We are very pleased with this outcome that will allow Malik to continue working on becoming a better person and making better choices."

The woman who claims she was brutally beaten by NFL lineman Chad Wheeler is speaking out about the incident -- saying he couldn't care less about her after nearly beating her to death.

The woman, Alleah Taylor, sat down with CBS reporter Jericka Duncan to describe the Jan. 22 incident, which ended with her being hospitalized for serious injuries.

"I had touched my face and I had looked down and there was blood on my hand," Taylor said in the interview (which airs Wednesday) ... "and I remember getting up and running to the bathroom."

"Chad was standing by the bed, by the doorway and he was sipping his smoothie and he was like, 'Wow you're still alive?!'"

Taylor says she's "grateful" the 6'7", 315-pound lineman stopped the attack -- but she says the NFL player acted like it was no big deal.

"I'm grateful he didn't grab me in that moment. I was able to run to the bathroom. He went back to the living room to continue eating."

"I had texted his dad too and told him that Chad was trying to kill me. Chad's dad called him while he was eating and I was in the bathroom. And he answered and he didn't have any worry at all. Chad was like, 'I'm just eating dinner, nothing's going on.' And that terrified me."

Wheeler was later arrested and hit with three criminals charges -- including 1st-degree domestic violence assault -- over the incident. It took 3 cops to subdue him in a wild struggle, documented in the police reports.

Washington State Cougars star QB Jayden De Laura has been suspended from the football team indefinitely ... this, after the freshman was arrested for DUI over the weekend.

TMZ Sports has confirmed ... JDL was pulled over around 2 AM on February 6 ... after a police officer claims he blew a stop sign before heading the wrong way down a 1-way street.

During the stop, cops claim De Laura reeked of alcohol ... so they conducted a field sobriety test, which didn't go so well for Jayden.

The football player was ultimately arrested and transported to a local station where he was booked for DUI.

Once De Laura arrived to the station, officials say he was given the opportunity to take a breathalyzer test, but declined.

The QB received a criminal citation for driving under the influence and 2 traffic infractions -- wrong way on a 1-way and another for 'no driver's license on person.'

Cops noted De Laura was cooperative throughout the incident.

The University of Houston football team has suspended freshmen defensive end Chidozie Nwankwo -- after the highly touted freshman was charged with domestic violence for allegedly choking his girlfriend.

Officials say the 18-year-old -- listed at 5'11", 293 lbs -- is accused of choking his girlfriend in a January 28 incident at an apartment complex located on the UH campus.

Official documents show Nwankwo was formally charged on Feb. 3 with assault/impeding breathing. He has since been released from custody but the UH football team has suspended him in the wake of the allegations.

"We are aware of the serious allegations regarding Chidozie Nwankwo," the school announced.

"He has been suspended from the Houston football program, pending further information. We will have no further comment regarding this specific case."

Nwankwo was a prized recruit for the Cougars coming out of  Foster High School in Richmond -- reportedly receiving offers from major programs including LSU, Baylor, Texas Tech, Arkansas and Boise State.

The worst performance of the Super Bowl goes to the moron who got in the field and tried to make a run for the end zone ... AND BLEW IT ON THE 1 YARD LINE!

The idiot -- wearing a 1-piece, pink thong women's bathing suit -- somehow got around stadium security and made his way onto the field in the 4th quarter as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs desperately tried to mount a comeback against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Bucs.

The CBS broadcast cut away from the field invader seconds into his run -- but fans in the stands caught the whole thing ... including the bitter end.

The fan started off strong -- making a few defender misses with some nifty spin moves ... before running into a wall of security toward the Chiefs endzone.

But, he couldn't complete the run -- instead, he slid, giving himself up ON THE 1.

In all seriousness, this dude is a moron -- and the fact he got close to players, refs, security and others while we're all still in a pandemic is stupid and irresponsible.

Cops ultimately corralled the guy and walked him off the field in handcuffs.

Plus, he was wearing shorts ... so he wasn't even a real streaker.

Basically, bro ... you're the worst. Enjoy the jail cell.

Jesus Christ has no place in the George Floyd murder case ... at least that's what Derek Chauvin’s defense lawyers are asking the judge to make sure of in his upcoming trial.

Lawyers representing Chauvin -- the ex-cop accused of murdering Floyd -- filed a motion asking the judge to keep a bunch of things out of his trial, including one seeking to stop the other side from drawing any comparisons between George and Jesus.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Chauvin's defense asks the judge for an order precluding any expert from likening Floyd's death to the crucifixion of Christ. The defense claims such analogies would be prejudicial.

According to the docs, the defense also wants to stop Floyd from being referred to as a "victim" and they don't want anyone labeling Chauvin as a "defendant."

The defense doesn't want police officers taking the stand to talk about how they would've handled the case differently, either, and they don't want paramedics testifying about the cause and manner of death.