December 28, 2007

Mischa Barton Arrested For DUI, Drug Possession

By Chris Harris (MTV.com)

Mischa Barton was arrested early Thursday morning (December 27) in West Hollywood, California, for DUI and other charges, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The English-American actress - best known for her portrayal of Marissa Cooper on Fox's defunct teen drama The O.C. - was charged with three criminal counts: driving under the influence, possession of illegal narcotics and driving without a valid license.

Police said Barton was being held on $10,000 bail, and TMZ.com later reported that she was released from the West Hollywood sheriff's station shortly after 10 a.m. on Thursday morning. Reuters reports that she spent about seven hours in jail.

According to an arrest report obtained by MTV News, Barton was stopped just before 3 a.m. after police noticed her car had been weaving back and forth, crossing the traffic line that runs down the middle of North La Cienega Boulevard. Police further noticed the car's driver failed to signal before making a turn.

Barton was taken into custody and transported to the sheriff's West Hollywood station, where she was booked and processed. It was at that time that police learned the 21-year-old actress was an unlicensed driver, and that she was intoxicated, the sheriff's department said. According to Reuters, Barton was also suspected to be in possession of marijuana and an unidentified controlled substance.

No further information on the arrest was available at press time.

Barton appeared on The O.C. until the third-season finale. She co-stars the upcoming high school movie The Sophomore (also known as Assassination of a High School President) with Reece Thompson, due out in April. In 2005, Barton also co-starred in James Blunt's video for Goodbye My Lover, in which she played the ex-girlfriend of the singer/songwriter.