Freddie Smith in car accident

[John]

Star Beacon, Ashtabula, OH

Blood alcohol results pending on soap opera star

Thursday, October 9, 2014
By Shelley Terry, Staff Writer [email protected]

SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP -- Soap opera star Freddie Smith could face charges for Tuesday's car crash that seriously injured his girlfriend, actress Alyssa Tabit, Lt. Jared Sutton of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said Wednesday.

Tabit, 27, of North Hollywood, Calif., remains in the Intensive Care Unit at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Youngstown, according to hospital officials.

Smith, 26, of Los Angeles, Calif., careened off Route 84 in Kingsville Township when he lost control of the Mazda 6 he was driving on a curve in the road, just east of Dibble Road, according to the OHP report.

Police suspect speed and alcohol were factors in the crash. Smith, who plays Sonny on the popular soap opera "Days of Our Lives," could be hit with criminal charges if it is discovered he was driving under the influence of alcohol.

Charges are pending the results from Smith's blood alcohol test, which could take up to 30 days to complete, Sutton said.

According to the OHP, Smith's car crossed the center line at about 12:40 a.m. Tuesday, traveled to the left side of the road and struck a culvert, causing the car to flip end over end.

When the vehicle came to rest, Tabit was temporarily trapped inside. She was flown by medical helicopter to St. Elizabeth's Hospital.

Smith was treated and released at Conneaut Medical Center in Conneaut.

The couple were in town visiting Smith's family.

[dragonflies]

Seriously injured his girlfriend, so if he was drunk, how the Eff does he NOT deserve to be fired? Ugh.

Now if he wasn't drunk and it just a bad accident that's a whole different thing

[Skin]

I'm like you, I didn't get my license until much later in life, it was just not a huge priority to me over high school, college and later on establishing my career. It took me a really long time to take the test, and numerous permits were expired until I eventually drove. I think this colors my perception as to responsibility when driving while under the influence. I would never do it and I am in my twenties. I could see some teens doing it, definitely -- but that has more to do with the fact that the likely reason they are drunk driving is because they are engaging in underage drinking in the first place. I could definitely understand why high schoolers and young colleges kids do it. They are doing things they regularly shouldn't be doing like underage drinking and most of them have just gotten the responsibility of driving that's where the mistake and sketchy judgement comes from. Most kids drink underage, most kids have license. Put those to together and they are going to cross. That's a fact. They don't really know better, and underage drinking is more or less a socially acceptable thing most people internalize and understand, even though it's illegal. I feel a lot of people have desensitized themselves to it, because everyone remembers at least a time or two when they were drinking at an age when they shouldn't have. Hence why there are groups like MADD founded to stop underage drinking and driving, I personally see them as being correlated.

Back to the comment at hand, I've never done it and I've never wanted to do it. I don't drink regularly though, even on social occasions. I just don't really have a need to, the only time I was a big drinker was when I was in college and since then I've tapered down a lot. I know in some European countries you have to choose to either drink or drive period. I don't drink and then drive, but I also understand that I rarely drink at all these days. There are just so very few people that I would want to drink with. Still I am a big proponent of public transportation, in which there is basically none for California. It's always been one of the reasons why I looked to work in cities which have really good public transportation -- D.C., NY, etc. I hate driving long distances that are longer than 30 or more minutes away.

But yeah he really shouldn't have been drinking and driving.

[Soapsuds]

They are already talking about recasting or temp casting on Twitter....

[cassadine1991]

Seriously?

[Juliajms]

Do you mean random fans?

[Soapsuds]

Fans...media.....I like the guy but I don't see him keeping his job. I could be wrong. I don't think he should just get a slap in the wrist for being DWI if that comes to be true. He almost killed someone....his gf is just to blame as she had to have known he was drunk. I dont think he should get a pass just because he is a soap star. Many others who have done the same thing have gone to jail for it. I am sure he didnt mean no harm but still....

[Winchester91]

I still can't believe people are defending Freddie here. Drunk driving is a serious crime and the fact he didn't even think about his poor GF lowers him in my book. Corday needs to lower the hammer.

[All My Shadows]

Blood alcohol tests are PENDING.

[Soapsuds]

I agree but the GF had to have known he was wasted if that is what comes out.

[Gray Bunny]

Matt Fielding will change the results. I just hope the girlfriend doesn't come out of this like Kimberly.

[Winchester91]

Sounds like the victim-blaming "She was asking for it" spiel that I see on rape cases.

[Soapsuds]

Oh please....really?? I know when someone is drunk..or has too much to drink...of course she might have been drinking too...so maybe she couldnt drive either.....bringing rape into this is just absurd on your part....dumb

[Gray Bunny]

It's unfortunate, and I hope the girlfriend is okay, but let's not condemn the man just yet.

I wonder how many people who condemn drunk drivers have ever driven home from a party, family gathering, after-work function, friend's house, etc. over the legal drinking limit. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Many people are guilty of it; they just haven't gotten caught.

I'm not excusing Freddy, if he's guilty. I'm just not a hypocrite.

[Michael]

It's something NONE of us should do, but the people condemning him are acting like he must have been doing Jager bombs right before he got behind the wheel. If you've ever had two beers or two glasses of wine and then driven home, you've probably been over the legal limit, too. Certainly doesn't make it okay -- but it's a little more complex.