Olympic champion Mary Lou Retton arrested for DUI in West Virginia — fails Sobriety Test and refuses breathalyzer

Mary Lou Retton, Olympic gold medalist gymnast from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, was arrested for DUI in West Virginia on May 17, 2024. She was pulled over in her Porsche outside an AutoZone parking lot after police saw her acting suspiciously, as per the Police report.

Officers found a screw-top wine bottle in the car with her, and she was sitting in the driver’s seat. During the field sobriety test, Retton was incoherent and agitated, saying things like, “I’m a gold medalist” and “Oh, come on”, as per the New York Times report.

She couldn't follow the Test properly

The cop made a sarcastic joke: “You should be pretty good at this,” referring to her being a gymnast. Retton replied with, “Yeah, I mean upside down,” and grinned uncontrollably. She couldn’t follow the officer’s finger with her eyes, kept moving her head, and said, “I see it, I see it. I’m looking at your beautiful blue eyes”, as stated by the reports.


When asked to walk a straight line, she again mentioned her Olympic gold medal and failed the test. She wore a bright yellow shirt and brown shorts during the arrest. The officer told another cop she failed the sobriety tests, as per the New York Times reports.

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She got upset and talked about her health

Retton refused to take a breathalyzer test. She was shocked and upset, saying, “Are you kidding me?! Oh my God, no!” She told a relative over the phone, “Gia, they think I’m drunk,” while the relative told police she had just come from a nail salon, as per reports.

She claimed she had a Texas driver’s license, not with her, and only had her passport on her. Police took her to the station, where she got emotional and told officers, “Put me in the cell.” At the station, she brought up her past illness, saying, “I nearly died from double pneumonia. I’ll die here, and you guys will live with that”, as mentioned in the report by New York Times.

Retton refused extra oxygen when offered, even though she was seen using an oxygen tank during the traffic stop. In 2023, she had made headlines for being in the ICU with rare pneumonia and had been on oxygen since. She looked visibly distressed in her mug shot, almost in tears, according to the reports.

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Retton was charged with non-aggravated DUI, a first-time offense, and received a $100 fine, which is standard in West Virginia. She later gave a statement to People Magazine, saying, “What happened was completely unacceptable,” according to the report by People.

She entered a plea of no contest, meaning she accepted the charge without admitting guilt. Retton added, “I make no excuses. I have let my family, friends, and fans down. I am deeply sorry”, as stated in the report by New York Times.

FAQs

Q1. Why was Mary Lou Retton arrested in 2024?
Mary Lou Retton was arrested for DUI in West Virginia after failing sobriety tests and refusing a breathalyzer.

Q2. Did Mary Lou Retton apologize for her DUI arrest?
Yes, she apologized and said her actions were unacceptable, taking full responsibility in a public statement.