By

Judy Faber /

CBS/ February 11, 2009, 5:24 PM

Cops: Ex-"Prison Break" Actor Was DUI

Russian police officers detain a gay rights activist during an attempt to hold a gay pride parade in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 27, 2012. Russian police have detained around a dozen protesters demanding the right to hold a gay pride parade in Moscow. Activists have long petitioned the Moscow government for permission to stage such a parade, but have always been denied. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel)

Russian police officers detain a gay rights activist during an attempt to hold a gay pride parade in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 27, 2012. Russian police have detained around a dozen protesters demanding the right to hold a gay pride parade in Moscow. Activists have long petitioned the Moscow government for permission to stage such a parade, but have always been denied. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel) / Mikhail Metzel

The Beverly Hills Police Department announced Wednesday evening that it will be seeking to file felony charges, including gross vehicular manslaughter, against actor Lane Garrison.

After a six-week investigation, authorities determined that Garrison, 26, was "traveling well above the posted 25 mph speed limit on Dec. 2, 2006, when the vehicle he was driving crashed into a tree."

The collision killed Beverly Hills High School student Vahaghn Setian, 17, and injured two 15-year-old girls, all of whom were riding in the vehicle.

Police chief David Snowden told reporters that Garrison was at a party with the minors, and then attempted to buy liquor, but was turned down because the market does not sell alcohol after 11 p.m.

The group then went to a second market before getting into the fatal accident.

The investigation revealed that Garrison's blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit.

Police also determined that Garrison was under the influence of cocaine at the time of the collision.

Traffic investigators recommended the following charges to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office:
  • Gross vehicular manslaughter with an enhancement for causing bodily injury or death to more than one victim.
  • Driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs causing injury with enhancements for having a blood/alcohol level in excess of 0.15 percent.
  • Contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Garrison's lawyer, Harlan Braun, told The Showbuzz that he was at a funeral during the press conference and had only gotten second-hand reports on what happened.

He questioned why the police held the news conference, and said it in effect created a public trial of his client before he was even charged with a crime.

"They had completed the investigation, submitted their recommendations to the DA, and the DA (will decide whether) to file charges. Then we have a trial," he said. "This is something totally foreign to us. They have a public trial under the guise of having a news conference and announce the guy is basically guilty."

"Someone should ask the police why they had the news conference, other than for self-glorification," he added.

Beverly Hills Public Information officer Lieutenant Mitch McCann was unavailable for comment.

Braun said that Garrison is aware of the results of the investigation and that they have made arrangements for him to surrender if charges are filed. But he added that Garrison's thoughts are not focused on himself.

"He's basically still more focused on the young man who died. Morally he's focused on what he should be focused on," he said.

Garrison, a Dallas native, played the prison snitch "Tweener" on the Fox drama series "Prison Break." He has worked mainly in television but appears in the upcoming film "Shooter," due out next year.
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved.
7 Comments Add a Comment
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sesavjo says:
Every time we hear of a celebrity doing something against the law, from the most extreme(I.E. O.J. Simpson) to less Extreme(I.E. Winnona Rider), they end up doing community service, and paying a fine instead of doing time they deserve to do!!! It took how many charges for Robert Downey Jr. to finally go to jail for drug charges!!! Any one else, not in the public eye, would of went straight to jail no questions asked!! It's complete BULLSH**!!! So much for justice for all, and equal rights!! I bet this guy and Brandy end up with a slap on the hand! But Joe Blow down the street, he'd be doing 7-10 years for manslaughter!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!!!!!!
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toshi43 says:
What's this, the second time in a month some self-centered 'celebrity' in Range Rover killed someone? I can just hear the wailing - oh, the poor boy/girl didn't realize what he/she was doing, it wasn't their fault, after all a 'celebrity' can't be axpected to behave like a responsible citizen with all that pressure on them, can they? A visit to rehab, the answer to everything these days, a fine and a lawsuit, and before you know it, no one will even remember what happened. Just ask Matthew Broderick.
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agnim says:
"Drugging and driving"?

Now, here is someone deserving of a $50 million dollar law suit and LIFE IN PRISON!

Let's see him go practice 'prison break'! LOL
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bildooreilly says:
lol too bad buddy, enjoy your stay in prison, they LOVE SNITCHES....






Lane Garrison played a young jailhouse snitch on "Prison Break." (AP Photo/Tammie Arroyo)
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bildooreilly says:
What a loser, rich actor has to go around picking up junior high girls... throw away the freakin key.
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bildooreilly says:
This POS won't do a day in jail, rich kids never do... there's obviously two separate "justice systems" in this great country of ours.
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avigil2 says:
Too bad. This guy is a good actor.
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