Rapper DMX Arrested for Driving Without License
The rapper DMX was arrested in South Carolina this morning. He was charged with driving without a license.
A sheriff's deputy apparently recognized the rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, at a gas station about 1 a.m., reports South Carolina's WHNS-TV.
The deputy followed the rapper for a short distance before pulling him over. What was the reason for the traffic stop?
After recognizing DMX, the deputy ran a records check that showed Simmons had a state identification card, but not a driver's license, WHNS-TV reports.
Simmons was taken into custody and released about five hours later. At the time of the arrest, DMX had his five-month-old daughter in the car.
Typically, police officers need probable cause to make a traffic stop. This can include, for example, erratic driving or signs of drunk or drugged driving. Probable cause can also include reasonable suspicion that someone is committing a crime or otherwise doing something illegal.
In DMX's case, the rapper had reportedly been issued tickets in the past in two South Carolina towns for driving without a license. The arresting deputy's records search gave him more reason to wonder whether the rapper was legally allowed to drive.
As a result, the deputy likely had probable cause to conduct a traffic stop after he saw DMX hop into the driver's seat of a car and drive off.
When later asked about the arrest, DMX indicated that he only had to pay a fine and that there were no further court dates or court appearances. "Five hours wasted for nothing," he told WHNS.
If he was so concerned about his time, maybe he shouldn't have gotten behind the wheel to begin with. The rapper was previously jailed in Phoenix for driving 102 mph in a 65 mph zone. In that case, he was also busted for driving without a valid license.
Related Resources:
- DMX Arrested for Driving Without a License (TMZ)
- DMX Sued Over Failed Comeback Tour (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- Rapper DMX Moved to Prison's Mental Health Unit (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)