crashes (7 posts)

Fame Pictures Inc.

Britney Spears might be a crummy driver, but she's apparently a gracious host.

Spears was tooling around Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills in her convertible Mercedes SL when she rear-ended a red 1998 Ford Explorer at about 2 p.m. today.

Sources tell E! News that Spears' bodyguard jumped out to talk down the other motorist, and the "Toxic" songbird hopped into the passenger seat, just as she did last month when she was involved in a similar fender-bender on Los Angeles' 101 Freeway.

Edith Cortese, the woman in the Explorer, then followed Team Spears back to the singer's gated home and was invited inside. For the return trip, the singer's bodyguard took the wheel of the Mercedes, which seemed to fare the worst in the collision, suffering noticeable front-end damage.

A source says Cortese is being completely cooperative and only went to Spears' house to exchange information because "there were so many photographers around." Shocking.

Los Angeles police said they were aware of an incident involving Spears but did not have any immediate details; neither did the Beverly Hills cops.

Dad Jamie Spears had barred his daughter from driving since her January meltdown before finally relenting last month. Shortly thereafter, on April 12, the singer collided with another vehicle, but there were no injuries and no citations were issued.

Columbia Pictures

Drew Barrymore: Hollywood star and budding crimefighter.

The actress was cruising the mean streets of West Hollywood Monday morning when her car was tagged by another vehicle.

The rear-ended Barrymore was not injured, says West Hollywood Sheriff's Lt. Lajana Haselrig, but the actress seemingly took offense when the other motorist sped from the scene without exchanging insurance information...or even asking for an autograph.

Our hero apparently took off after the hit-and-runner, tailing the baddie long enough to jot down his license plate number.

The offending motorist remains at large, says Haselrig, who wouldn't confirm that Barrymore gave chase.

But the officer acknowledges that someone (wink-wink) did provide the digits: "We have a plate and it is currently under investigation."

All in a day's work for one of Charlie's Angels.

Tim Boyles/Getty Images

Nick Hogan is drifting to jail.

Angst-ridden, but appearing ready to accept his fate, the son of pro-wrestling legend Hulk Hogan pleaded no contest today to a felony charge of reckless driving involving serious bodily injury. The plea, entered in a Pinellas County, Fla., courtroom, stemmed from an August car crash that left passenger John Graziano in critical condition.

"Every single day I think about the accident…and pray for John every chance I get," said Hogan, whose real name is Nick Bollea. "There will never be a day in my life where I ever will forget this. I know for a fact that I've apologized to the Grazianos…I do genuinely mean that, I'm terribly sorry."

But Judge Philip Federico showed little mercy, sentencing the 17-year-old to eight months in county jail along with five years' probation and 500 hours of community service for drag-racing under the influence of alcohol and causing the Aug. 26 wreck.

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Jun Sato/WireImage.com

Perez Hilton doesn't want Samantha Ronson to get another spin in court.

The DJ to the stars and Lindsay Lohan sidekick is seeking to reinstate her defamation lawsuit against celebrity gossip guru that was dismissed last December on free-speech grounds.

But Hilton isn't so keen on a rerun of the case, in which Ronson claims he trashed her reputation by accusing her of leaving cocaine in Lohan's car following an accident last May.

"Ronson had her day in court—in fact, she had many days in court," Hilton says in court papers filed earlier this week.

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MGM

Being 007's fall guy these days is not all it's cracked up to be.

A veteran stuntman was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries Wednesday in Verona, Italy, after a near-fatal car crash on the set of the latest James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace—the latest mishap to bedevil the 007 flick.

The accident, the second in a week, shut down production while local officials investigate.

The crash occurred on a winding, tunnel-filled road along Lake Garda in northern Italy on the final day of second-unit filming on an action-packed chase sequence.

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Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com

To hear her tell it, the woman accused of drunkenly driving her way into Sandra Bullock and Jesse James' vehicle in Massachusetts Friday night may not be guilty, but she sure is sorry.

Lucille P. Gatchell pleaded not guilty to two counts—driving under the influence and failure to stay in a marked lane—in Gloucester District Court Tuesday morning, stemming from last week's head-on collision with the stars' vehicle.

Gatchell remained silent and donned sunglasses for the duration of the brief arraignment, allowing her attorney to speak on her behalf.

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Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com

Turns out, speed is the least of Sandra Bullock's roadside worries.

The actress and her Monster Garage host hubby Jesse James were struck by a drunk driver while out in Gloucester, Massachusetts Friday evening, where Bullock is currently filming The Proposal.

Neither Bullock nor James were driving the vehicle when it was struck by 64-year-old Lucille Gatchell at approximately 9:50 p.m. While the rented black 2008 Chevy SUV the couple was riding in did sustain damage in the head-on smash, neither star was injured in the collision.

The incident occurred when Gatchell's Subaru Forester station wagon jumped lanes and veered into oncoming traffic. The couple's vehicle, being driven by 55-year-old Mark Hussey, was luckily going between just 15-20 mph at the time, preventing more serious damage or injury from taking place.

According to the Boston Herald, which first reported the accident, Hussey attempted to avoid Gatchell's car but was unable to get away in time after she crossed over into his lane.

Gloucester police were quick to arrive at the scene and found Bullock, in town to film the romantic comedy alongside Ryan Reynolds, and James, who turns 39 today, comforting each other.

"They were sort of hugging each other on the sidewalk," Officer Kevin Mackey told the paper. "Ms. Bullock was consoling him."

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