NEW YORK: Environmental activist Erin Brockovich, portrayed by Julia Roberts in a 2000 movie about her fight over the pollution of a California town, was arrested on suspicion of boating while intoxicated at Lake Mead near Las Vegas, authorities said.
Brockovich was arrested late on Friday after breath tests showed her blood-alcohol level was just over twice the legal limit of .08, Edwin Lyngar, spokesman for the Nevada department of wildlife, said on Sunday.
Brockovich, 52, was released from the Clark County Detention Center after posting $1,000 bail.
In a statement issued on Sunday, she apologized for her actions but stressed that she did not operate the boat in open waters. She only moved the boat within its own slip, she said.
“At no time was the boat away from the dock and there was no public safety risk,” Brockovich said. “That being said, I take drunk driving very seriously, this was clearly a big mistake, I know better and I am very sorry.
“After a day in the sun and with nothing to eat it appears that a couple of drinks had a greater impact than I had realized,” she added.
Authorities were unsure whether it was Brockovich’s first arrest on the charge.