Former Olympic Gymnast Mary Lou Retton Arrested on Suspicion of DUI

She failed her field sobriety test before being taken into custody.

Mary Lou Retton waves to the crowd during the Parade of Olympians Celebration. / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Mary Lou Retton, a gold medalist Olympic gymnast, received a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence last week while in West Virginia.

Retton was stopped by Farimont police on May 17 after they got a report about a Porsche "driving erratically," via the Associated Press. When police showed up, the 57-year-old was noticeably slurring her words and smelled of alcohol. There was even a bottle of wine in her passenger seat, according to the criminal complaint.

Retton refused a roadside breath test and a blood test, and then failed her field sobriety test. She was arrested, but was later released after paying a $1,500 personal recognizance bond.

The 1984 All-Around champion most recently made headlines back in Oct. 2023 when she was “fighting for her life” in the ICU with a rare form of pneumonia. She made a remarkable recovery and was able to return home by the end of the month.

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