Former Disney Channel Star Gets Legal Victory Following Public Intoxication Arrest

Hannah Montana star Mitchel Musso’s public drunkenness and theft case has been dropped, TMZ reported. It’s a complete turnaround from just a few months since he was arrested. The city of Rockwall, Texas, informed TMZ that Mitchel’s case had been dismissed, although no reason was given. Further information, including body cam footage, won’t be released since the case didn’t result in a conviction or deferred adjudication.

Musso, who played Oliver Oken on the Disney Channel Show, was arrested in Texas in August following an incident at a Rockwall hotel. The Rockwall County jail records show Musso was booked on charges of public intoxication and theft of an item under $100, per CNN. On Aug. 26, around 7:15 p.m. local time, Rockwall Police responded to “a disturbance” at a hotel, according to a Rockwall Police Department press release. 

When they arrived at the hotel, they found out that a person who “appeared intoxicated” had entered, selected a bag of chips, and started eating them. When the hotel staff asked him to pay, he became “verbally abusive” and departed. 

In the end, the 32-year-old Musso, who was located outside of the hotel, was taken into custody by the police officers after they determined he was intoxicated. During a routine records check, Musso was also found to have several outstanding traffic warrants, so he was also charged with an expired registration, failure to display a driver’s license, and violating a promise to appear. Musso posted a $1,000 bond after a night in jail.

In 2011, Musso was arrested in Burbank, California, for driving under the influence after failing a breathalyzer test. New York Daily News reported that the actor was pulled over for failing to slow down at an intersection where an accident had occurred, and the officer had instructed him to do so. There were police officers on the scene who smelled a “strong odor of alcohol” and gave Musso a field sobriety test, which he failed, according to statements made by Sergeant Sean Kelley of the Burbank Police Department to the newspaper. 

Law enforcement officials told TMZ that Musso had a blood alcohol level of more than two times the legal limit of .08 during his breathalyzer test, and he was only 20 years old at the time, while the drinking age in California is 21. TMZ reported that Musso was arrested for suspicion of DUI, and his bail was set at $5,000, according to the report. He was released from custody shortly after.