Shia LaBeouf Arrested at Music Festival

In a move that surprised probably no one, yet another former child actor was arrested this weekend. Shia LaBeouf was arrested in Austin, Texas for public intoxication.

This weekend is the second weekend of Austin City Limits, a music festival that brings an influx of people into the city. LaBeouf was arrested on 6th Street, a backdrop for the city’s entertainment scene. He was arrested outside of a bar around 7:30 PM on Friday night. According to witnesses, LaBeouf was acting erratically, and one witness told TMZ that he must have been extremely intoxicated or consuming drugs when he began to jaywalk and run down the street. The police asked him to stop, and then arrested him when he did not comply and continued to act strangely.

According to a second witness TMZ interviewed:

Before the arrest Shia and a woman tried walking into a bar but they were denied because they were too intoxicated. Shia began swearing up a storm and tried forcing himself into the bar but was blocked. Shia and the woman left and began walking.

Like many former child stars, this is not the first run in that LaBeouf has had with the law, nor the first time alcohol or drugs have been involved in one of those run ins. Last year he was arrested in New York, outside a Broadway performance of Cabaret, for similar behavior. According to court testimony, in that instance he was arrested:

For refusing to leave a theatrical performance when asked, for creating unreasonable noise and using obscene language outside of Studio 54, and for spitting at a police officer at the Midtown North police precinct.

While LaBeouf didn’t face any jail time for that incident, he was required to seek treatment and maintain good behavior for the next six months.

However, the issue in New York last year wasn’t LaBeouf’s first run in with the law, either. In 2011, he got into a bar fight with another patron in the Sherman Oaks district of Los Angeles. He was arrested for misdemeanor drunk driving in 2008 after another car hit his, but was later cleared of that charge. He also was arrested in 2007 for criminal trespassing at a Walgreens, and in 2005 he allegedly threatened a neighbor with a knife after the two got into a fight.

It’s still unclear what will happen to LaBeouf; the Austin Police Department says on its site that “due to pending adjudication, no further details will be released at this time.” It seems likely that he’ll face legal trouble once again.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.