Just desserts

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "American Idol" television star Paula Abdul on Thursday was fined $300 and sentenced to two years probation for swiping a car on a Los Angeles freeway then fleeing the scene, a city official said.

The former Los Angeles Lakers cheerleader, who rose to fame in the late 1980s as a pop singer of hits such as "Straight Up," pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count of hit-and-run driving.

She faced a maximum fine of $1,000 and up to two years in prison if convicted, said Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for the Los Angeles City Attorney's office.

Mateljan said the accident occurred in December, but it took time for California Highway Patrol officers to conduct a full investigation and track Abdul from a photograph of her car's license plate taken with a cell phone camera.

She was formally charged Thursday morning, and her attorney made the plea this afternoon. With penalties tacked on, Abdul paid close to $900 and another $775 in restitution to the victims, Mateljan said.

Abdul's probation is "informal," meaning she does not have to report to a probation officer, but if she breaks any further laws, she could face the higher fine and jail sentence.

Mateljan said the official investigation found that Abdul was attempting to change lanes on a local freeway when she hit the other car. She failed to pull over, and exchange information with the other driver.

Witnesses wrote down her license tag and snapped the cellular phone photo, then notified police, he said.

http://reuters.iwon.com//article/20050325/
2005-03-25T180351Z_01_N24591552_RTRIDST_0_ENTERTAINMENT-CRIME-ABDUL-DC.html

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I had nothing against Paula Abdul until I read about this incident (in fact, she's my favorite 80's artist who danced with a cartoon in a video) but this story proves she's a criminal. I'm not saying she's Ted Bundy, but if you do $800 damage to another vehicle and flee the scene then you are a criminal.

Martha Stewart: out of touch at least but maybe a scape goat
Paula Abdul: Straight Up criminal (caught in a hit and run, for you lyric fans)

I had also thought that camera phones were pretty silly until I read this story. They take such low resolution pictures (great to share with your friends' phones but you could buy a nice digital camera with lots of extra features for less money). I have to admit that snapping a picture of a fleeing hit and run driver was quick thinking and better evidence than witnesses (who are notoriously unreliable).

So score this one: Citizens 1, Celebrities 0

And a special note to Paula: if your way of dealing with stress is to go shopping, perhaps you should not invite a certain Ms Ryder to tag along.

E