Mary Lou Retton's DUI Arrest Captured In Newly Released Bodycam Footage

Forbes

3 days ago

LOS ANGELES, CA - CIRCA 1984: Gymnast Mary Lou Retton of the United States competes in the balance ... More beam competition in gymnastics during the Games of the XXIII Olympiad in the 1984 Summer Olympics circa 1984 at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Focus)
New details have emerged surrounding Olympic gold medalist and gymnastics icon Mary Lou Retton's DUI arrest in West Virginia earlier this year. Recently released bodycam footage obtained by Entertainment News shows Retton's May 17 encounter with police after being pulled over in Marion County.
Retton won five medals at the 1984 Olympics, including the prestigious all-around title. With her resounding success, Retton became a household name overnight, earning the title of 'America's Sweetheart.'
Now 57, Retton was charged with one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs in May 2025. She was released shortly after on a $1,500 personal recognizance bond and later entered a no-contest plea in court. She was ordered to pay a $100 fine.
Marion County police initiated the traffic stop after receiving reports of a Porsche with Texas plates 'driving all over the roadway.' WDTZ reported that she was later found in an AutoZone parking lot with a bottle of wine in her passenger seat. Upon confrontation, Retton was allegedly slurring her speech and smelled of alcohol.
In a 33-minute-long segment of raw footage, the 57-year-0ld West Virginia native was captured incoherently arguing with law enforcement officers while failing sobriety tests. Retton can be seen needing supplemental oxygen throughout the footage.
When asked to balance on one foot until directed to stop, Retton objected to the officer's requests. "Oh, come on," she said, struggling to maintain balance. Later, she lashed out at the officer when he repeated his instructions, then failed the test.
'I just came to get my nails done,' Retton pleaded, repeatedly muttering to herself. She then stated her intent to refuse a breathalyzer. 'You know I'm not going to blow,' the Olympic medalist said. 'They say, don't blow," she added.
The officer then led Retton through three standard field sobriety tests (FST), to which he suggested Retton's Olympic background could be useful. 'You should be pretty good at this," he quipped, with Retton emphatically responding, 'yeah!'
Fairmont, West Virginia, December 1984: Mary Lou Retton's success has brought her a new set of ... More wheels. This 16 year old has a calendar that reads Macy's Thanksginving Day Parade, Bob Hope Christmas special and a cover on Seventeen magazine to name a few. (Photo by)
In the first test, Retton grinned while failing to properly track the officer's finger without moving her head. Instead, Retton complimented his appearance. 'I see it, I see it, I see it. I'm looking at your beautiful blue eyes," she said.
Retton was then asked to complete the walk-and-turn test, wherein she was tasked with completing eighteen consecutive heel-toe steps while counting aloud. "I'm an Olympic gold medalist,' Retton declared, proceeding to fail the test.
'She failed all of (the tests)' the officer relayed to his colleague. Retton immediately rebutted his claim, 'I did not…come on,' she exclaimed.
After being informed of her arrest, Retton becomes increasingly combative.
At the station, she asks to speak with Jimmy Riffle, a Marion County sheriff who retired six months earlier. 'I know you know who I am,' she then said, referring to herself as 'West Virginia's first daughter.'
Retton broke down in tears while in triage at the station, heaving through her statements. 'Y'all are terrible. I nearly died from double pneumonia. I'll die here, and you guys will live with that," she cried.
Retton's health was already in the spotlight before the arrest. In 2023, she was hospitalized with a rare form of pneumonia and spent time in the ICU, prompting a national outpouring of support.