Mary Lou Retton appeared to refuse blood alcohol level tests, and told police officers “I’m West Virginia’s first daughter!” during her arrest for DUI in Marion County, West Va., in May.
Newly released bodycam footage obtained by Entertainment Tonight shows the full incident, which began when Retton was detained by officers in the parking lot of an AutoZone store.
In the video, you can see officers administering a field sobriety test that requires Retton to lift her foot up six inches off the ground and count until told to stop.
Retton complied with the tests but appeared to struggle to execute them. In the clip, she protests the amount of counting she has to do, says “Oh, come on,” and struggles to breathe at one point during the test, taking a break to use her oxygen tank.
More footage from the 30-minute-long video shows her being handcuffed with her hands in front of her, after telling police that she can’t have her hands behind her back due to the multiple shoulder surgeries she has undergone over the course of her life. Later video shows her at the police station.
Entertainment Tonight also obtained Retton’s mug shots, which are included in the video.
Read More: Mary Lou Retton Reportedly Slurred Words, Drove Erratically Before Arrest
Retton was arrested on a DUI charge on May 17, after police got a call about a Porsche driving “all over the roadway” in Marion County.
Responding officers claim that Retton smelled like alcohol and spoke with slurred speech, and that they noticed a screw-top bottle of wine in the passenger seat of her vehicle.
She appeared in court on June 10, entering a no contest plea to a non-aggravated DUI charge. She received a $100 fine, which is standard for first-time offenders of this misdemeanor charge in the area.
Retton also issued a public statement saying she took “full responsibility” for her actions during the incident. She also expressed her commitment to learning from the event, and said she was “committed to making positive changes in my life.”
“What happened was completely unacceptable,” she said. “I make no excuses. To my family, friends and fans: I have let you down, and for that I am deeply sorry.”
Read More: Mary Lou Retton Issues First Statement Since DUI Arrest
57-year-old Retton is a retired gymnast who made history at the 1984 Olympic Games when she became the first U.S. woman to receive a gold medal in the women’s all-around gymnastics competition.
In 2023, she battled a rare and near-fatal form of pneumonia, and her daughters kept fans posted on her condition during her time in the ICU.
As she recovered, Retton opened up about her ordeal in several interviews, revealing that her illness was so severe that she “should be dead,” and her recovery left her with “a new lease on life.”
Though she has made a remarkable recovery, Retton said that she has scarring in her lungs that will affect her for the rest of her life.
R.I.P.: 40 Country Singers and Songwriters Who Died Too Soon
These country singers had so much more to give. See 40 country singers who died much too soon: Keith Whitley, Mindy McCready, Troy Gentry and more.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
