Erin Brockovich Arrested For Drinking And Boating

Erin Brockovich has been arrested for drinking and boating.

Perhaps the most famous environmentalist this side of Al Gore, Erin Brockovich didn’t quite fight the law, but the law won. How famous is she, you might ask? Julia Roberts played the title role in the movie about her. Yes, that Erin Brockovich. She was the one who fought over the water pollution in her Southern California town.

Erin Brockovich was arrested late Friday night for the suspicion of boating while intoxicated in Lake Mead near Las Vegas. Breath tests showed her blood alcohol level as over twice the legal limit of .08 percent.

You know already that drinking and driving is illegal and could lead to jail time. After all, you’re behind the wheel of something weighing over a ton and traveling at speeds that according to the laws of physics, literally make you more dangerous than if you were firing a gun. Boats are a lot harder to control, even without a motor, and they weigh about the same amount as a small car. Plus it’s even harder to get out of the way if you’re not in a boat yourself.

It only makes sense that you shouldn’t be drinking and boating.

Apparently Erin Brockovich might have gotten away with it if she hadn’t had trouble mooring her motor boat in unfamiliar water. She had been out with a male companion but came back alone. The game warden noticed and investigated, and the jig was up.

Edwin Lyngar, spokesman for the Nevada Department of Wildlife, told sources, “She was not sure how to maneuver the boat into the dock. It’s a simple thing if you can think clearly. But if you add alcohol and unfamiliarity of the area, it can all cause serious problems.”

Erin Brockovich was released after paying the $1000 fine for the misdemeanor of drinking and boating, although authorities are not sure if it’s her first time doing so, as multiple offenses call for harder disciplinary action.

Edwin Lyngar adds, “Too many people think drinking and boating go together. We don’t have a problem if people drink. Just have a designated operator.”

What do you think? Could this have been Erin Brockovich’s first time drinking and boating, or was it just the first time she’s been caught?

[image via Shutterstock]