Lamar Odom arrested on suspicion of DUI, capping a week of rumors
After a week in which news about Lamar Odom was moving very quickly, the basketball player has been arrested on suspicion of DUI — for driving too slowly.
The arrest capped a week in which rumors that the “Khloe & Lamar” star was cheating on wife Khloe Kardashian Odom gave way to allegations that he had a drug-abuse problem.
Headlines screamed briefly that Odom was “missing” after a failed intervention attempt, but his agent cleared that up somewhat, telling ESPN only that the NBA free agent wasn’t missing, and that Khloe knew exactly where he was.
Early Friday morning, Odom was going about 50 mph when he was pulled over on the 101 Freeway in the San Fernando Valley, L.A. Now reported. California Highway Patrol officials said he was driving in a “serpentine manner” and actually continued past three exits while authorities tried to pull him over.
He showed signs of intoxication and couldn’t pass field sobriety tests, a CHP report said. He refused all chemical tests at Van Nuys jail — something that People reports resulted in suspension of his driver’s license for a year, under state law.
Odom was arrested just before 4 a.m., booked around 5 a.m. and not released until around 8:30 a.m., which means he was in jail for around 3 1/2 hours before getting out on $15,000 bail, according to L.A. Sheriff’s Department records.
Kardashian Odom was mum early Friday on Twitter.
We’ve known that the “Khloe & Lamar” couple, who wed in September 2009 after dating for only a month, haven’t been photographed in public for months, and recently Kardashian Odom was snapped without her wedding ring on during a trip to the gym. All summer, there’s been buzz that he had cheated on her.
Last weekend, however, the story took a turn, with TMZ sources alleging that drug use was the primary cause of the major rift in the marriage, in addition to Khloe’s belief that cheating did happen.
A year ago, Khloe reportedly pressured Lamar into rehab in San Diego, the website said, where he stayed for only three weeks but managed to clean up in time for his season with the Clippers. Kardashian Odom has reportedly kept the alleged circumstances a secret from her notoriously close family until recently.
Yahoo pointed out that since the NBA has drug testing, the forward would have had to clean up during the season in order to play.
“It’s a really hard time for Khloe,” an unnamed source told People, which like other outlets was having no luck contacting reps on either side. “She’s kept this secret for almost two years trying to save Lamar and their marriage.”
The couple are allegedly effectively separated since the failed intervention, TMZ said Monday. No steps have been taken toward divorce, but the site has sources saying a split is likely. That comes a little less than two weeks after mom Kris Jenner declared to E! News that the two were definitely not divorcing.
A divorce would no doubt be a blow to fans who for years have seen the two as the real thing, despite their whirlwind romance.
Khloe has reacted strongly to all the allegations, peppering her Twitter response Sunday with profanity.
“Really hard to sit here and listen to people talk ... about my family! ... you and shame on you! I’m too protective for this ...!,” Kardashian-Odom said [warning: link contains profanity].
Odom is due in court Sept. 27.
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