"Simple Life" star in trouble again, jailed for four days

A court commissioner in Los Angeles on Friday sentenced Nicole Richie, the Hollywood celebrity and an adopted daughter of 1980s pop music star Lionel Richie, to 4 days in jail for driving under the influence of drugs.

The 25-year-old reality TV star pleaded guilty on Friday to driving under the influence of drugs and later was awarded with a sentence of four days behind bars.

In his judgment, Superior Court Commissioner Steven Lubell ruled that Celebrity socialite Richie must complete her jail term by September 28, serving it in either a city or county jail. The sentencing officer gave her credit for six hours she had earlier served in jail, slashing the time to 90 hours.

Besides 90-hour sentence, she also was fined US$2,048 as well as placed on three years probation and ordered to enroll in a court-supervised rehabilitation programme for two-time offenders.

The court commissioner also warned Richie that she could end up doing 12 months behind bars if she violates her probation, set to begin next month. "The court views this plea agreement as a contract," he told her. "If you violate the terms of this agreement, you can and you will go to county jail for more time than the court is giving you today."

"Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs while driving is extremely dangerous," he cautioned. The official said she was lucky nobody was killed during the incident. "The fact of this case, as the court knows it, is pretty scary. Someone could have gotten killed or injured," he said.

Richie, who entered court along with her boyfriend, singer Joel Madden in a loose-fitting, knee-length black dress and spike heels, was quiet and gloomy as she was sentenced and warned by the court commissioner about driving down the wrong way on a highway.

In a response to court commissioner’s question how she pleaded to the misdemeanor charge, Richie stood and whispered only a single word "guilty". The star of “The Simple Life” initially pleaded not guilty in February to the misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Nicole Richie was arrested on DUI charges on Dec. 11 after being spotted driving in the wrong direction on the 134 Freeway in Burbank, California. Witnesses, who saw Richie’s 2005 black Mercedes Benz speeding on the wrong way, called 911 to report the incident. When the California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers arrived, Richie had already stopped in the carpool lane and her vehicle was observed to be facing the right direction.

She was then taken to Glendale City Jail, and was released 2 hours and 25 minutes later after posting a $15,000 bail. Breathalyzer test revealed that the star was not drunk. When questioned, Richie admitted that she had smoked marijuana and taken the painkiller Vicodin before the incident.

This is not the first time the star has landed herself in hot soup instead in February 2003 she was arrested in Malibu for possession of heroin and for driving with a suspended driver’s license. She was sentenced to spend time in rehabilitation.

Richie’s yesterday’s sentence came just a month after her longtime friend Paris Hilton was released from jail. The high profile celebrity blonde, Hilton was released from the all-women's jail in Lynwood on June 26 after spending her 23-day jail stay in the facility. She was Richie's co-star on the reality TV show, "The Simple Life".

Richie, who is best known for starring in a fish-out-of-water reality show called, "The Simple Life" and also known for setting major fashion trends in Hollywood, is rumored to be three months pregnant with her first child by rocker/boyfriend Joel Madden. But, she has not yet confirmed it.