Update, July 30, 2024: The reckless driving case against Pete Davidson was dismissed altogether on Thursday, July 18 according to a report by New York Daily News. The comedian reportedly met all the requirements of his court about six months ahead of time, including a diversion course and community service. In light of his proactive take, the judge decided to dismiss the misdemeanor charge for Davidson. The SNL alum has not commented publicly on this case.ย
Original story, July 31, 2023: Pete Davidson struck a deal with the authorities to resolve a reckless driving charge in Beverly Hills, California. According to a report by The New York Times, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office agreed to let Davidson perform community service in New York City to make up for the accident. He will work with the New York Fire Department to settle the case.
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Davidson was charged with misdemeanor reckless driving in June when he crashed a Mercedes-Benz into a house in Beverly Hills. No one was injured and Davidson pleaded not guilty to the charge, but at first, Davidson was placed on an 18-month diversion program. It required him to pay restitution, attend 12 hours of traffic school classes, and visit a hospital and a morgue to see the results of reckless driving firsthand. He was also ordered to perform 50 hours of community service, which led to his deal with the FDNY.
The choice is an obvious one for Davidson, who has often referred to his father’s death in his work. Davidson’s dad was a New York City firefighter who passed away while responding to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Asked for a comment, an FDNY spokesperson said that the department “would be happy to provide” a chance for community service to “the son of a 9/11 hero,” but did not confirm whether the plans were in motion.
Davidson’s lawyer Mike Cavalluzzi also said that Davidson’s community service requirement “is likely to be completed at” the New York Fire Department, but did not give any further comments. Davidson is 29 years old and still resides in New York full-time, though working as an actor means he makes frequent visits to the L.A. area.
Davidson addressed his father’s death in his movie. The King of Staten Island in 2020, as well as his recent semi-autobiographical sitcom Bupkis. The latter featured a flashback episode where a 7-year-old Davidson attended a family wedding just one week after his father’s death, juxtaposing the tragedy with day-to-day life and exploring how Davidson was drawn to comedy as a coping mechanism.
The show itself has generally positive reviews and many critics pointed to this episode in particular, suggesting that Davidson’s family history is of particular interest to his fans. The comedian left Saturday Night Live last year and has had a handful of TV and movie roles since then. He has three upcoming projects listed on his IMDb page, all finished filming. In the meantime, The King of Staten Island and Bupkis are both streaming on Peacock.
