Bravo’s Real Housewives of Orange County (RHOC) Season 17 might have come to a conclusion in October 2023, but controversy involving one of the most prominent stars from the season has dragged on in recent weeks.
Shannon Beador was initially known to have been involved in a DUI hit-and-run in Newport Beach in September. In the early morning of September 17, Beador rammed her car into the runway of a house near the beach. The reality TV star was reportedly in an inebriated state and decided to leave her car in the middle of the street.
Beador was picked up by authorities from near the street around an hour later, and faces two misdemeanor charges. Initially released without bond, Beador claimed in court that she was being treated differently due to her “celebrity status,” and such cases are normally concluded within weeks with minor fines.
RHOC’s Shannon Beador believes she is being mistreated due to her celebrity status
Beador had apparently begun walking her dog in the aftermath of the incident, which took place at around 1 AM. However, while she was detached from the incident, the police report stated that the RHOC star was under the influence of alcohol and was well aware of what had occurred.
Although the incident attracted two charges, including driving under the influence of alcohol and a hit-and-run charge, Beador was initially released without a bond.
However, following eyeballs on the court and reports stating that the 49-year-old had escaped action due to her status, charges were filed. It now seems as if the RHOC star's party believes this itself is a result of her celebrity status, and the case should have concluded as it seemed to have, initially.
The document submitted by Shannon Beador’s lawyer in the Newport court firmly criticized the Orange County DA office, claiming that she had been treated differently due to her status ever since the incident occurred. Beador claimed that she was initially offered a 30-day jail vacation which included what her lawyer described as a “draconian” search and seizure clause.
Furthermore, the document said that because the RHOC star was only a first-time offender with no history of violence, drug use or weapons, informal probation would have generally been offered:
“The undersigned is aware that the Court has been a judicial officer for over 35 years and feels confident that it has never rendered such a sentence down to any first-time DUI offender. It is further surprising that on a general misdemeanor case that did not involve drugs and/or weapons that the prosecutor would ask the court to offer informal probation with a term and condition of search and seizure.”
Finally, the fact that Beador had moved quickly to pay the owners for the damage she caused was also allegedly skipped past by the prosecution in determining her sentence. All of the above has been alluded to the differential treatment she has been offered due to her celebrity status.
As things stand, Beador is liable to up to 3 years of informal probation, a $960 fine, a 9-month alcohol program along with a total of 40 hours of community service.
Hence, one can understand why the RHOC star and her lawyers have moved quickly to point out the shortcomings of the prosecution’s case.
