News Todays 1

By Associated Press | May 27, 2025 – 11:53 AM ET

Fairmont, W.Va. — Olympic gold medalist and gymnastics icon Mary Lou Retton was arrested earlier this month in her West Virginia hometown on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence (DUI), according to local authorities.

Fairmont police stopped the 57-year-old on May 17 after receiving reports of a Porsche being driven erratically. According to the criminal complaint, officers detected the smell of alcohol on Retton’s breath, noted that she was slurring her words, and reported that she failed a field sobriety test. A container of wine was also found in the vehicle’s passenger seat.

Retton declined both a roadside breathalyzer and a blood test, leading to her arrest. She was released later on a $1,500 personal recognizance bond.

Attempts to contact Retton’s attorney, Edmund J. Rollo of Morgantown, for comment were unsuccessful as of Tuesday morning.

Mary Lou Retton shot to international fame at just 16 years old when she became the first American woman to win the Olympic all-around gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. She also earned two silver and two bronze medals, becoming a household name and helping to propel gymnastics into the U.S. mainstream.

This incident comes less than two years after Retton’s widely publicized health battle. In 2023, her family revealed she had been hospitalized with a rare and life-threatening form of pneumonia. After weeks of intensive care and oxygen treatment, Retton recovered and was discharged to continue recuperating at home.

The court has not yet set a date for her next appearance. The case is still under investigation.