Newly released bodycam footage shows Olympic gymnastics legend Mary Lou Retton in a visibly distressed state during her DUI arrest earlier this year — a moment that marks a dramatic fall from grace for the beloved American athlete.
The footage, obtained by Entertainment Tonight, captures the 57-year-old struggling through a field sobriety test conducted by Fairmont City Police in Marion County, West Virginia, on May 17. Retton, clad in casual clothes, appears disoriented and gasps, “Oh my God,” while attempting to follow the officer’s instructions.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
According to a criminal complaint cited by the Associated Press, Retton was found sitting in her vehicle in an AutoZone parking lot with a screw-top bottle of wine in the passenger seat. She was charged with driving under the influence after allegedly showing signs of impairment.
In the video, Retton tries to lift one foot six inches off the ground and count — but visibly struggles, only managing to count to nine before stopping. At one point, she appears to have trouble breathing and retrieves an oxygen tube, looping it around her nose to continue the test.
The Olympic gold medalist has been dependent on supplemental oxygen since a life-threatening bout of pneumonia in 2023, which left her hospitalized for a month and fighting for her life. In a July 2024 interview with PEOPLE, Retton revealed that doctors once warned her four daughters she might not survive. “My lungs are so scarred. It will be a lifetime of recovery,” she said. “My physicality was the only thing I had and it was taken away from me. It’s embarrassing.”
Following her arrest, Retton entered a no contest plea to a non-aggravated DUI charge. She received a $100 fine, the standard penalty for first-time non-aggravated offenses in the area.
In a public statement issued through her attorney, Retton expressed remorse: “What happened was completely unacceptable. I make no excuses. To my family, friends and my fans: I have let you down, and for that I am deeply sorry.”
The Fairmont City Police Department has not yet commented publicly on the arrest.
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