In May, former Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton was arrested for driving under the influence in Fairmont, West Virginia, according to court records obtained by the Cut. Two months after her arrest, footage of the incident has been released along with Retton’s mug shot.
Retton was the first American woman to win a gold medal in the all-around in 1984 at the age of 16. Since retiring from gymnastics in 1986, she’s made a handful of TV appearances, including competing on Dancing With the Stars in 2018. She’s also dabbled in politics — she led the Pledge of Allegiance at the Republican National Convention in 2004 and, in 2017, reportedly joined a USA Gymnastics meeting with then-Senator Dianne Feinstein to help defend the sexual-assault policies that had failed gymnasts who filed complaints against Larry Nassar.
In the newly released footage of her May arrest, Retton, who is 57, told police that she was “West Virginia’s first daughter” after performing a sobriety test in the parking lot of an AutoZone. When asked to walk heel-to-toe as part of the sobriety test, she said, “I’m an Olympic gold medalist; I can do balance beam.”
Retton appears agitated in the footage, struggling to perform the test and refusing a breathalyzer. She can be heard crying and struggling to breathe in the footage, at times using an oxygen tank. (Retton has required supplemental oxygen since nearly dying from pneumonia in 2023, she told People last year.) Per WDTV, a screw-top bottle of wine was found in her car’s passenger seat.
Retton was released on $1,500 bond the same day as her arrest, per court records. Her attorney, Edmund J. Rollo, told the Associated Press she entered a no-contest plea and was fined $100 by a judge.
In a statement released by Rollo in June, Retton apologized for her actions. “What happened was completely unacceptable. I make no excuses,” she said. “To my family, friends and my fans: I have let you down, and for that I am deeply sorry. I am determined to learn and grow from this experience, and I am committed to making positive changes in my life. I truly appreciate your concern, encouragement and continued support.”
