Olympian Michael Phelps Pleads Guilty To DUI, Sentenced To 1 Year In Prison

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Swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps pleaded guilty to driving drunk on Friday.

Phelps, age 29, was arrested on September 30 according to police documents. He was stopped by police for speeding and crossing a double yellow line while en route to the Fort McHenry Tunnel.

Phelps measured a .14 on a blood-alcohol test in Maryland, where the legal limit is .08.

He was sentenced to a year in prison, but the sentence is suspended. Phelps must be on probation for one and a half years.

The police officer that interacted with Phelps made note in the report that Phelps was pulled over because he travelling 84 mph in a 45 mph zone. Notes said that an odor of alcohol was president in the car and on Phelps’ breath.

The officer also reported that Phelps’ speech was “mush-mouthed” and that his eyes were red and bloodshot.

As part of a sobriety test, the officer asked that Phelps stand on one leg. Phelps replied, “that’s not happening,” according to the officer’s report. The swimmer was also described as “disoriented and argumentative,” when placed under arrest and asked to retake the sobriety test, this time away from traffic.

Phelps did not end up retaking the test, however, and was brought to the police station for processing.

This was not Phelps’ first experience with drinking and driving, however. He was arrested for his first DUI in 2004 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

In the 2004 case, Phelps, who was 19 at the time, was sentenced to 18 months’ probation, fined $250, and required to give a presentation on alcohol awareness to students at three different high schools. He had just returned from the Athens Olympics, where he earned six gold medals. He pleaded guilty to these charges as well but avoided conviction as a young, first-time offender.

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Back in 2009 Phelps earned another embarrassment when a British newspaper published a photo of him using a marijuana pipe at a party. He was later suspended from USA swimming for three months and was dropped by Kellogg Co., one of his major sponsors.

Phelps most recent arrest has not impacted any of his current sponsorship at this time.

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