Sam Donaldson, ex-ABC News veteran, charged with DUI
Sam Donaldson is seen on the floor at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Sept. 5, 2012. / Jae C. Hong/AP
ABC News veteran and former correspondent Sam Donaldson is facing a drunken driving charge in Delaware.
Police in the southern coastal town of Lewes say the 78-year-old Donaldson was stopped on Dec. 1 for a traffic violation. According to TMZ, officers said he was pulled over just before 8 p.m. after he had driven onto the shoulder of the road.
Police say the officer determined Donaldson had been drinking and gave him field sobriety tests.
Donaldson was arrested and later released. An arraignment is set for Friday.
A phone call to Donaldson's home in Virginia on Wednesday was not immediately returned.
Donaldson was twice chief White House correspondent for ABC News, covering Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. He also co-hosted "PrimeTime Live" with Diane Sawyer and the ABC News Sunday morning broadcast "This Week with Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts."
Popular in Entertainment
- Kim Kardashian on baby's arrival: "So crazy!"
- Music critics believe in Kanye West's "Yeezus"
- Etheridge calls Jolie's mastectomy a "fearful choice" 75 Comments
- Listen: John Mayer's new single "Paper Doll"
- "Bachelorette": Desiree lets two lukewarm lovers go
- Kris Jenner: Kim Kardashian is "thrilled" about baby
- Johnny Depp on "unpleasant" split with Vanessa Paradis
- "The Voice": Top three sing for the win
And if he did, in fact, swerve while driving, as the officer claims, I'll bet it was because his food order slid, or spilled, or something like that.
Even if, had he ordered a drink while waiting to pay, it wouldn't have had time to reach his blood stream; yet, he would have failed the breath-alizer even though not impaired because of residual alcohol in his mouth. A field sobriety test is not a reliable indicator of one's sobriety, especially if one has just finished a drink or is 78-years-old!