For the second time in five months, American actor and comedian David Koechner was recently arrested on suspicion of driving while impaired.
On New Year’s Eve, the actor who is renowned for playing Champ Kind in the “Anchorman” franchise and Todd Packer on NBC’s “The Office” was arrested for the same offense while driving on a freeway in Simi Valley, California.
He was most recently arrested in Ohio when the state’s Highway Patrol on duty pulled him up in Lawrence County and charged him with three different DUI-related offenses. With his current run-in making him a repeat offender, it’s expected that Koechner might face jail time rather than probation and an alcohol education course.
Body CAM Footage Confirmed David Koechner’s DUI Status
Officers from the Ohio Highway Patrol pulled Koechner over in the early hours of June 4 and found him “driving a vehicle while impaired.” particularly “under the influence of alcohol/drug abuse,” after observing him swerving recklessly on the road.
Body-cam footage from the incident acquired by TMZ confirmed the 59-year-old DUI status, showing when one officer approached the comedian to talk with him and then informed his partner of the scent of alcohol oozing from the vehicle.
“Oh God, I can smell it from here,” the second officer also said as he approached the vehicle to join his partner.
Before going through a series of sobriety tests, Koechner informed the second officer that he was coming from Cincinnati and had only “one drink” that evening, according to the arrest documents. He also declined to be tested for blood-alcohol content.
The Arrest
While taking the other sobriety tests, “The Office” appeared to have “glossy eyes,” and allegedly told the officer he was on tour and on his way “to Comic-Con in West Virginia.”
“You’re under arrest for OVI — operating a vehicle while impaired,” the officer told Koechner while placing him in handcuffs, letting him know his rights shortly after that before getting into the police car.
TMZ claimed that the comedian was subsequently processed at the station and then eventually released with a court summons. The charges on the summon reportedly consisted of three separate counts, driving while impaired, refusal to submit for a breathalyzer or urine sample, and driving on a suspended license.
The fresh arrest and court order came five months after Koechner was reported to be driving under the influence when his vehicle allegedly collided with a street sign on New Year’s Eve. The comedian was then
arrested by police officers that responded to the scene of the accident.
Koechner’s DUI Might Land Him In Trouble With His Estranged Wife
Following his arrest and release on bond for his first DUI, Koechner’s problems looked to worsen as his estranged wife Leigh, with whom he shares five children, tried to use the ordeal to get full custody of their children.
Leigh requested that the actor’s visitation days with their children be suspended and that “safeguards be put in place to guarantee his sobriety.” Submitting to drug testing and utilizing a Soberlink gadget to track his alcohol use were among the protections that she requested from the court.
Following a 22-year marriage, Koechner filed for divorce in 2020 for reasons he has yet to reveal. At the time of his application, he asked for joint legal and physical custody of their three minor children.
David Koechner Wants Split Custody
Koechner’s second DUI in as many months may spur his estranged wife to be more determined than ever to claim full custody of their children.
However, during the prior incident, Koechner rejected Leigh’s attempt to sway the law in her favor and tried to keep split custody with her, a position he would most certainly maintain if Leigh filed another lawsuit.
“My recent stop for an alleged DUI did not occur with any of our children in my custody,” he penned at the time. “There is nothing exigent for this Court to address through the ex parte process. I am in AA and have a sponsor, and I would never do anything to jeopardize the health and safety of our children.”
According to court documents, Koechner must appear in Lawrence Municipal Court on July 8 for an in-person hearing on his latest DUI.
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