Shannon Beador’s recent DUI arrest is the biggest news in the Bravo universe this week, but one lawyer doesn’t think the Real Housewives of Orange County star will actually face incarceration.
“If you’re dealing with a first-time DUI and you enter into a plea, usually you’re not going to get any jail time,” attorney Neama Rahmani exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, September 19 “What will happen is you’re going to have to do some classes, some Alcoholics Anonymous, maybe, some Mothers Against Drunk Driving classes. You may even have to have an interlock ignition device installed on your car, which means you have to blow into it for your car to start.”
Rahmani — who does not work with Beador, 59 — went on to note that Beador will likely face “hefty fines and penalties” as well as probation, but “significant jail time” is unusual after one infraction.
Beador was arrested on Saturday, September 16, and charged with driving under the influence and a hit-and-run after crashing her car into a residential property in Newport Beach, California. After the accident, she reportedly parked her vehicle in the middle of the street and began pretending to walk her dog. Beador was cited and released without bond, and her car was seized as part of the investigation.
Her attorney Michael Fell issued the following statement to Us after her arrest: “I spent quite a bit of time with Shannon yesterday. She is extremely apologetic and remorseful. We will be awaiting the official information on this case as it becomes available, and Shannon is prepared to accept full responsibility for her actions.”
According to Rahmani, taking a proactive approach to treatment is a “good strategy” when it comes to sentencing. (Beador’s pal Jeff Lewis also claimed that she was looking into counseling.)
“Judges look for people that are voluntarily getting treatment, getting into rehab if they have an alcohol or substance abuse problem,” he told Us. “So, that’s something that good defense lawyers present to the judge and say, ‘Look, your honor, my client is taking this seriously. She’s already getting the help that she needs.’”
Rahmani went on to point out that Beador’s time on RHOC could be taken into consideration because of the way her drinking has been talked about on the show, but he noted that her comments would need to reference driving while under the influence. “You really need that nexus to driving or some other unsafe conduct,” Rahmani explained. “So, if there’s something in the show that talks about her potentially getting behind the wheel, that’s absolutely something that could be used against her.”
Beador hasn’t yet spoken out about the arrest, but the tenant who lives in the home she allegedly hit told Us that Beador’s ex-boyfriend John Janssen lives only a few houses down from where the accident took place. According to the tenant (who wished to remain anonymous), some neighbors think Beador was visiting Janssen, 59, the night of the crash.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
