Actor apologizes for DUI arrest
Daniel Dae Kim, who plays a Korean tough guy on the hit TV series "Lost," said he is "deeply ashamed and embarrassed" by his drunken driving arrest.
Kim was arrested early Thursday morning after registering a blood-alcohol level content of 0.168, twice the legal limit for driving under the influence.
"It saddens me to know that I jeopardized the welfare of the kind people of Hawaii, a community that I love and call my home," Kim said yesterday through his publicity agents BWR Public Relations in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Kim was arrested at about 3 a.m. Thursday after a patrol officer noticed his 2001 silver Audi was being driven erratically on South King Street by Isenberg Street.
He was pulled over near the H-1 freeway onramp heading east and arrested for suspicion of drunken driving. He is the third actor from the series to be arrested for driving under the influence.
Kim said he will cooperate with the police and is grateful to them for their sensitivity to the matter.
"To my friends, family, colleagues and fans, thank you for your kind words of support," Kim said. "To those I have disappointed I can only ask that you accept my heartfelt apologies. I am truly, truly sorry."
Kim also issued the apology on his Myspace blog, where many fans offered words of support and some disappointment.
Some fans said things like, "We all make mistakes," and, "Daniel, don't worry about it. We still love you."
One fan said, "Come on man, I thought you were better than that," while another said, "How could you? What a downer!"
In November 2004 actresses Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros were charged with drunken driving. They both pleaded guilty in 2005.
Rodriguez, who had a previous drunken-driving conviction in Los Angeles and two speeding tickets in Honolulu, was sentenced to five days in jail and $357 in fines. Her character on the show, Ana Lucia, was later written out of the series.
Watros played Libby on the show. Her license was suspended for 90 days, and she paid a $312 fine and was ordered to undergo alcohol assessment and counseling. Her character was also killed on the show, but Watros will come back to work on the show; producers have said her character will be explored in future episodes, according to TV Guide.
Six other cast members have been cited for traffic violations in Hawaii, mostly for speeding.
