NEWS'RHOC' Star Shannon Beador Pulled Over and Cited by Cops While on DUI Probation
Shannon Beador was cited for cellphone use while on DUI probation in Orange County, Calif.
July 8 2025, Published 7:39 a.m. ET
Shannon Beador, star of Real Housewives of Orange County, faced a police encounter on May 21 while still on probation for driving under the influence, according to a report.
Court records cited by a news outlet reveal that during the incident in Orange County, Calif., authorities cited Beador for using a handheld communication device while driving. The Bravo personality received a citation and was subsequently released. She must pay a $20 fine by July 11, as the ticket is a non-moving violation with no points added to her record for the first offense.
Beador remains on criminal probation from her arrest in September 2023 for an alleged DUI and hit-and-run incident. Her probation runs until November 2026.
Shannon Beador’s probation stems from a DUI and hit-and-run arrest in September 2023.
Just three months after her DUI, Beador returned to filming RHOC. On January 10, she smiled for fans in an Instagram post, simply captioning it, "🎬❤️." The photo featured her in all black, ready to engage with the Bravo cameras.
Prosecutors state that Beador drove her vehicle into a residential building in Newport Beach, Calif., and left the scene. Officers responded to find her walking her dog, questioned her and determined she was under the influence. She was booked on two misdemeanor charges, with TMZ reporting her blood alcohol content (BAC) at .24 — three times the legal limit of 0.08 in California.
Shannon Beador filmed 'RHOC' just three months after her DUI arrest.
Following her arrest, Beador's attorney Michael Fell described her as "apologetic and remorseful" and noted that she offered to pay for the damages. She enrolled in an outpatient wellness program that includes alcohol components, according to sources.
In November 2023, Beador received three years of probation, was fined and ordered to complete a nine-month alcohol program. The court accepted her no contest plea to two charges related to the DUI, dismissing the property damage charge. Prosecutors sought a 30-day jail sentence for the reality star.
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Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer criticized the judge's decision after sentencing.
He told TMZ, "Driving under the influence must have consequences. When a judge gives someone who not only drove with a blood alcohol level of .24 – three times the legal limit – but then ran away from the scene of a DUI collision a slap on the wrist, you are sending a message that DUIs are not serious crimes that demand accountability."
Spitzer asserted, "This is not justice. We as a society need to wake up and address the very real – and often deadly – consequences of driving under the influence."
Todd Spitzer slammed the court’s sentencing, calling it a ‘slap on the wrist’ for Shannon Beador.
On RHOC, Beador has openly discussed her DUI, saying, "I take responsibility for the very stupid choice that I made that night."
During the Season 18 premiere, she reflected, "I've never broken a bone, I've never had a concussion, I've never been in an accident, I've never been arrested I've never had a DUI — and I did all that in 10 seconds."
In a heartfelt conversation with her daughters, Beador expressed, "I'm so sorry and humiliated that I disappointed you."
Shannon Beador said she still drinks but no longer uses alcohol as a coping mechanism.
Back in July 2024, Beador stated that she still drinks but recognizes her past behavior. "I acknowledge that I was drinking a lot — a lot — back then, but today I'm not," she explained. "I was using alcohol as a coping mechanism. And I know I can't do that anymore."
She added, "If I get to the point where I think alcohol is negatively affecting my life, then I will address that."
