David Koechner, arguably best known for playing sportscaster Champ Kind in the Anchorman movies, has a history of playing characters who like to party, particularly when alcohol is involved. Well, now the actor finds himself in the public spotlight not for one of his professional endeavors, but for a personal reason one of said characters might find themselves entangled in. The Saturday Night Live alum was recently arrested for a suspected DUI and hit and run.
As reported by TMZ, David Koechner was arrested on Friday, December 31 (a.k.a. New Year’s Eve) in Simi Valley, California at around 3:00 PST and booked into Ventura County Jail approximately two hours later, with his vehicle being towed. After authorities received a call about an erratic driver, a patrolling officer pulled over Koechner, who reportedly had already blown two tires, and blew a .13 blood alcohol level on the a field sobriety test. Along with drunk driving, Koechner allegedly hit a street sign with his car.
David Koechner was subsequently released at 5 a.m. on January 1 and has a court date set for March 30. In his addition to his mugshot now being online, the actor was later photographed pumping gas into his car, and there was some damage on the left side, indicating this could be the vehicle with which he allegedly hit that sign. This appears to be Koechner’s first DUI in California, if not ever.
We’ll have to wait and see how David Koechner trial over this DUI unfolds in a few months, but hopefully this is the last time he drinks and drives. This incident follows nearly two full years after the actor filed for divorce from his wife, Leigh. The two married in 1998 and have five children together. Koechner’s comedy tour is intended to kick off in Rochester, New York from January 6-8, and will see him traveling to various US cities until late May, but it’s unclear if/how his arrest and court date will affect the tour.
As far as other aspects of David Koechner’s professional life go, the actor most recently starred in the sports drama National Champions, which followed a star collegiate quarterback triggering a massive strike to fight for fair compensation for his fellow athletes. Koechner’s other notable film credits from recent years include CHiPs, Gnome Alone, All Creatures Here Below and Faith Based, while on the TV front, he was a series regular on the short-lived sitcoms Superior Donuts and Bless This Mess.
CinemaBlend will keep you apprised of any major updates concerning David Koechner’s legal trouble if they pop up. In the meantime, keep track of the movies set to arrive later this year with our 2022 release schedule.
