Reality star Bam Margera was back in court for driving under the influence last week. His attorneys spoke about his battle with substance addiction and said he had a setback. Bam was sent back to jail for a drug and alcohol evaluation. NBC10’s Tim Furlong has the details from court.
Former “Jackass” star Bam Margera appeared handcuffed in a suburban Philadelphia courtroom Monday as he was ordered held in jail ahead of a drug and alcohol evaluation after recently being pulled over for alleged DUI.
Chester County Judge Patrick Carmody at the Sept. 23, 2024, "violations of probation/parole" hearing called for Margera to be held through at least the following day when the substance use evaluation could be completed.
At Monday's hearing in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Margera appeared in the courtroom in an undershirt and handcuffs, NBC10's Tim Furlong reports. Margera was mouthing words to his wife -- Dannii Marie -- who he hasn't seen since last week and appeared to be crying, Furlong said.
Cameras are not allowed to capture images inside Pennsylvania courtrooms, so Margera wasn't photographed.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
Intoxicated driving allegations concern judge in Bam Margera probation case
Court records show that the 44-year-old has been jailed in Chester County since last Wednesday following a driving under the influence arrest in south central Pennsylvania days earlier.
In court Monday, it was noted that Margera had been doing OK with substance and alcohol usage, but recently relapsed and was cited for DUI.
Due to a past DUI arrest in California and Margera's history of substance issues, the judge decided the incident is about more than just a probation violation.
Carmody said that his attitude toward addiction is different when you get behind the wheel of a car. And that the choice of intoxicated driving scares him.
Margera in court said that his wife is his sobriety rock and that he screwed up while going on a solo road trip.
What's next for Bam Margera?
Following Tuesday's evaluation, the court, probation and Margera's legal team can meet to decide next steps. His attorneys said they will try to get him into a rehab program and it will be up to probation to decide which one.
The plan is to reconvene in court on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, unless probation, the state and Margera's legal team can agree to a deal before then.
Attorneys Michael T. van der Veen of Philadelphia-based Van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin & Lindheim and William J. Brennan of Philadelphia-based Brennan Law Offices spoke outside the court house and said they are taking the positives out of this negative saying that Margera is a "good guy that has an addiction."
"Everybody in the system -- from the defense team to the prosecution to the probation office and the judge -- are interested in seeing Bam get what he needs, which is not punishment, but treatment," Brennan said.
Brennan said that Margera has been "doing very well" with passing drug and alcohol evaluations. He called this incident "a little setback."
"Nobody's here with ill-intent," Brennan said. "It helps Bam get the needed treatment that he will probably be recommended to get."
"He's interested in getting better, he's interested in getting this case behind him" van der Veen said.
In a post on X, van der Veen's law firm said that the attorney expect Margera to be released as soon as Tuesday "or Wednesday at the latest.
#BamMargera -- "Judge Carmody has ordered a drug and alcohol evaluation for tomorrow, and we expect Bam will be released tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest. Bam has passed all his drug and alcohol screenings for the past year." Atty Michael T. van der Veen pic.twitter.com/CMQYwDXibw
— van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin & Lindheim (@mtv_law) September 23, 2024
No exact timetable for release was given in court.
Why was Bam Margera on probation in the first place?
Back in June, Margera was sentenced to six months on probation after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct over an altercation at his home near Philadelphia.
Margera was charged with assaulting his brother and making threats to other family members during what the brother called a “frightening and unpredictable” two-week visit home last year.
The plea ended a long legal case that spun out of his stay at the Chester County home known as "Castle Bam." At a hearing last year, Margera told the judge he was getting drug and alcohol treatment.
Jess Margera, at the same court hearing, called his brother “a good dude when he’s not messed up,” but said he had exhibited troubling behavior for two decades and, while home, had been awake for days. Jess Margera suffered a ruptured eardrum in the altercation, while Margera’s girlfriend at the time called police when he kicked in her bedroom door, the brother testified.
At the time of Margera's June plea, lawyer William J. Brennan said Margera pleaded guilty to two summary offenses, and was clean, sober and productive a year after the arrest.
“You can really say he won his case before today just by turning his life around,” Brennan said.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
