Posted on 06/07/2002 9:37:06 AM PDT by moyden
EXCLUSIVE
Harrelson flees cops
By MIKE SULLIVAN, DEREK BROWN and SARA NATHAN
MOVIE wildman Woody Harrelson was wrestled to the ground and arrested by 14 cops who chased him yesterday after he allegedly went berserk in a London taxi.
The actor, star of films including Natural Born Killers and Indecent Proposal, is said to have:
KICKED glass in the cab before forcing his way out by breaking a door lock.
HAILED another taxi, which was chased by the driver of the damaged cab, and
FLED on foot after the second taxi was intercepted by police.
Harrelson — who found fame as dim barman Woody in TV comedy Cheers — was reportedly pursued through West London streets by the 14 cops AND several police cars in the 2am drama.
The 40-year-old Texan was eventually felled and arrested on suspicion of causing £300-worth of damage to the cab.
He spent the rest of the night in a cell at Belgravia police station before being freed on bail.
Cabbie Les Dartnell said he was hailed by Harrelson outside the exclusive China White nightclub in Piccadilly.
He was with a woman but climbed in alone and asked to be taken to his hotel in Knightsbridge. Moments later dad-of-three Les, 44, heard a loud crack.
He said: “I turned round and he was kicking the inside of my taxi. He had suddenly gone completely bonkers.
“He was kicking the glass and trying to get out. I tried to find a space to pull over but he had already yanked back the door handle and broken it.
“The doors unlocked and he got out the cab and bent the door right back.”
Les said Harrelson ran off along the Haymarket kicking over bins before leaping into another taxi.
The cabbie gave chase — and called cops on his radio.
He said: “It was like something out of Hollywood. I stayed hot on the tail of the taxi and knew the police were on their way.”
A patrol car intercepted the second taxi two miles away, near Sloane Square. But Harrelson allegedly leaped out and legged it.
Les said: “He came flying out at full pelt and started running down the street. He kept going and more police arrived in a car and a van. He was still pelting away and made it to Sloane Street.
“By this time there were 14 police officers chasing him. There were two vans and five police cars. I couldn’t believe it.
“They finally caught him, restrained him and put him in a van. I went to the station with them and they locked him up.”
Police will send a file to the Crown Prosecution Service, who will decide if there will be charges.
Keen green campaigner Harrelson, who also starred in Money Train and The People vs Larry Flynt, must report back to the nick on July 1.
He would not comment on the alleged fracas as he arrived at the posh Cliveden Town House hotel in Knightsbridge last night. Wife Laura and daughters Demi, eight, and Zoe, six, were with him.
Evidently this is common practice in London. Oh, maybe if you are Woody or and O.J. they have to think awhile to see what law you might have broken.
What you gonna do?
What you gonna do when they come for you?
He could have been on Cops!
See the full story from E! Online.
Another pot-smoking poster child hits the dust. Notice the violence associated with his actions!
Must've suffered quite a flashback!
I wonder if he knows what year it is?
If he returns to the U.S., Bush should break relations with Britian for letting him out of jail. He terrorized a London cabbie didn't he? If we let him back, he's liable to hijack a New York cab and drive it into the Empire State Building.
If I were the cabbie, I would probably take the money and run, too. Woody is a celebrity. He wouldn't have faced any real penalties anyway.
I wonder if we can ask the Brits to keep him? Funny though, that it took over a dozen of those guys to get him. Must have been the inefectual british side-arm replacement: the shout - to wit "Stop or I shall be forced to yell stop again." (Yeah, I stole that from somewhere but it eludes me from whence just now).
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