Mary Lou Retton speaks about her May DUI arrest for the first time

Mary Lou Letton Addresses DUI Arrest

Mary Lou Letton, the iconic gymnast, has spoken out regarding her recent arrest for driving under the influence this past May.

The 57-year-old athlete took “full responsibility” for her actions in a statement released after her court appearance on Tuesday, where she entered an uncontested plea regarding the DUI charges. She received a $100 fine related to the incident, which was noted as a first-offense DUI in West Virginia.

“What happened was completely unacceptable. I didn’t make any excuses,” she stated, reflecting on the situation. “To my family, friends, and fans, I apologize.” Letton expressed her commitment to learning from this experience and making positive changes in her life, thanking everyone for their concern and ongoing support.

Court documents reveal that Letton was arrested on May 17 after police observed her driving erratically. At the scene in Marion County, a bottle of wine was found in the passenger seat, and officers noted the smell of alcohol on her breath. Furthermore, she reportedly struggled with her words during the traffic stop.

Letton declined to take a blood alcohol test and did not pass three field sobriety tests.

She gained fame at age 16 during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where she secured gold medals in individual events. More recently, in 2023, she made headlines for being hospitalized with a rare form of pneumonia, but she has since recovered and is still using oxygen assistance.

An exclusive interview revealed that her former brother-in-law mentioned the toll gymnastics has taken on Letton’s body over the years. He added that she has been focusing on “healing” since the incident and has been staying out of the public eye in West Virginia.