EVERYBODY PANIC

Lets recap:  In 2003, Michelle Rodriguez was charged in Los Angeles with hit-and-run and failure to exchange insurance information, plus driving with a suspended (New Jersey) license and driving without a valid California license. Later in 2003, she was pulled over for speeding through a Hollywood Boulevard intersection. She was charged with driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license and driving without a valid license. In August of 2005, she was clocked going 80 mph in a 50 mph zone.  Two months later she was caught driving 90 mph in a 35 mph zone.  One month after that she was ticketed for driving 83 mph in a 55 mph zone.   Eleven days after that, she was arrested on Oahu after failing a field sobriety test, registering a blood-alcohol level of 0.145 percent, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08.  When arrested, she was described as "argumentative and rude". According to the police report, Rodriguez screamed:

"I don't fucking belong here! Why don't you just put a gun to my head and shoot me! You've already taken my freedom! You might as well take my life too. (Why don't you) just take my car and I'll walk all the way to the North Shore, but don't leave me in the back of this car, poppie."

For this incident she served 5 days in jail.  She was already on probation, and because she violated that, she was sentenced to 60 days in jail.  She served four hours and 20 minutes, but she was sentenced to community service, which she did not do.  In fact she provided the court with fake documents saying she had completed community service in LA on Sept 25.  The City Attorney later proved she was in New York on that day.  For all this, she was sentenced to 180 days in jail.  Today she was released after 17.  People.com says:

The 29-year-old actress got out at 7:50 p.m., according to her official Web site.At that time, Superior Court Judge Daviann L. Mitchell forbid an early release for Rodriguez. However, the sheriff could have had no choice but to override that order due to jail overcrowding and let her out for good behavior, legal experts say.

In case you were wondering, yes, she is still working in Hollywood.  In fact, she has a lead role in "Avatar", the massively anticipated sci-fi epic, the first movie from director James Cameron since "Titanic".  I dare you to try this stuff in the real world and keep your job.  Not only would you be fired, but the government would burn your house down, kick your dog, shave your wifes head and punch your kids in the nuts.

(full size of that mug shot here, courtesy of getty images)