Mary Lou Retton, the iconic American gymnast who captured the hearts of many with her gold medal win at the 1984 Olympics, was arrested earlier this month on a DUI charge in her hometown of Fairmont, West Virginia.
According to court records from the West Virginia Magistrate Court system, Retton, 57, was taken into custody on Saturday, May 17, facing one count of “driving under influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs; penalties.”
Police reports indicate that officers stopped Retton’s Porsche after receiving a call about an erratic driver.
Upon interaction, she reportedly smelled of alcohol, slurred her words, and failed a field sobriety test.
A container of wine was also observed in the passenger seat. Retton refused both a roadside breath test and a blood test.
The Olympian was issued a personal recognizance bond of $1,500, which she posted that same day, leading to her release from custody.
Her attorney, Edmund J. Rollo of Morgantown, has not yet publicly commented on the arrest.
This incident comes almost two years after Retton faced a severe health crisis.
In October 2023, her daughter, McKenna Kelley, revealed via an Instagram Story that Retton was in the ICU battling a rare form of pneumonia and was “fighting for her life.”
Kelley also highlighted that her mother was uninsured at the time, prompting a public crowdfunding effort to help with medical expenses.
Retton has since recovered from the illness, though she has spoken about the lasting impact on her lungs and her continued need for oxygen.
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