New details are emerging about the DUI arrest of Aaron Carter. The 29-year-old pop star and his 26-year-old girlfriend, Madison Parker, were arrested Saturday night in Cornelia. The Habersham County Sheriff’s Office has released the incident report and, in an exclusive television interview with Entertainment Tonight, Carter is telling his side of the story.
Deputy approached Carter after receiving report of erratic driving
Carter and Parker were arrested at the Auto Zone store at GA 385 and Carpenters Cove Lane in Cornelia just before 8 p.m. on July 15.
According to the report, Deputy Sheriff Brandon Holcomb was in the area finishing up a traffic stop when he received a 911 lookout for a possible intoxicated driver in a white, Chevy Suburban. The lookout advised the SUV was “driving all over the road and running into the median.” Holcomb says he saw the Suburban turn into the store parking lot and watched the driver and passenger – later identified as Carter and Parker, respectively – get out of the vehicle and walk toward the store entrance.
Deputy Holcomb says he approached the couple inside the store and asked them to step outside.
“As we spoke, the male was unable to maintain his balance,” Holcomb states in the report. He says the man’s eyes appeared blood shot and watery with a glazed look to them. “I observed the males pupils to be dilated and slow to respond to light.”
Holcomb says the woman became belligerent when he asked her to have a seat on the sidewalk. “She started stating she ‘could call anyone she wanted.'”
While talking with the driver, Holcomb says he smelled marijuana. “When I asked if there was anything illegal inside his vehicle the male stated ‘No’. I then asked the male if there was any marijuana inside his vehicle where he stated ‘Yes’. ”
That’s when Holcomb says he asked for their identification.
The deputy says he asked Carter where the marijuana was located and Carter said he thought it was in Parker’s purse. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted by another deputy and Cornelia Police officers who also responded to the scene. “A clear baggie containing a green leafy substance suspected to be marijuana, as well as a clear glass smoking device used to consume marijuana was located in the center console area of the vehicle,” the report states.
“What I need is for people to understand that I’m human and that I make mistakes just like every other human in this world, but I would never risk my life or my girlfriend’s life.” ~ Aaron Carter
When Deputy Sean Rogers attempted to search Parker’s purse, Holcomb says Carter told officers they didn’t have the right to do that. Carter then instructed Parker to take pictures of the officers searching her purse. Deputy Holcomb says he placed Parker under arrest for obstructing his investigation after she failed to comply with repeated requests to sit down.
Officers found a blue plastic container of suspected marijuana inside Parker’s purse along with several pill bottles with Carter’s name on them, according to the report. When Holcomb asked the couple who the marijuana belonged to he says “both stated it belonged to the other.”
Deputy Holcomb says Carter consented to field sobriety tests. While administering the tests, the deputy says Carter failed to balance, missed heel to toe, stepped off line several times and swayed. He says he observed body tremors in Carter’s legs and arms and eyelid tremors in both eyes. The singer was arrested for DUI. He refused toxicology tests and was charged with DUI refusal, possession of marijuana less than one ounce, and possession of drug related objects.
Parker was strip searched by a female deputy at the jail. A partially smoked marijuana cigarette was found during the search, the report says. Parker was charged with possession of marijuana less than one ounce, possession of drug related objects and obstruction.
All charges are misdemeanors.
Carter was released from jail on $4660 bond early Sunday. Parker was released Sunday evening on $4330 bail.
Carter tells his side of story in exclusive ET interview
In an exclusive, two-part interview with Entertainment Tonight airing July 18 and 19, Carter broke down crying as he shared details of his arrest.
In the interview he explains how he got to Habersham. He says he and Parker were in North Carolina for a club appearance. He bought a cheap car to save money on rentals and the alignment was out. Transportation issues caused him to miss a scheduled appearance in Kansas City, Missouri, so Carter says they headed for the next stop on his tour – Birmingham, Alabama.
Along the way, Carter says he stopped at Auto Zone in Cornelia to fix his car’s alignment after getting a new tire.
That’s when police approached him.
“[They] forcefully grabbed me out,” Carter told ET. “[I] stepped outside. I say, ‘I invoke the right to speak to my attorney,’ and they disregarded that, they revoked that immediately. They said, ‘Is there anything illegal in the car?’ I said, ‘I have marijuana in the car.'”
“I kept trying to explain the whole situation, to the officer,” Carter shared during the interview. “He said, ‘You’re a professional, right? I’m a professional too, so be quiet.’ And then I said, ‘OK.'”
Carter claims he wasn’t under the influence of any alcohol or drugs. He said he smoked marijuana nine hours before his arrest. He says he smokes marijuana for anxiety, chronic pain and to increase his appetite.
A statement issued by Carter’s camp on Sunday says the 29-year-old pop star holds a medical license for medical marijuana.
Habersham Sheriff’s Captain Floyd Canup says the type of marijuana Carter had is illegal in Georgia. “The only medical marijuana that is legal in Georgia is non-smoking types of marijuana such as oils and pills,” Canup says.
Carter performs after arrest. Lashes out at big brother.
The arrest didn’t keep Carter from making his Alabama engagement. He performed at the Brookwood Village Shopping Mall in Birmingham Monday night before a crowd of about 1100 people.
RELATED: DUI Arrest doesn’t stop Aaron Carter fans from attending Brookwood Show
Carter’s older brother, Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter, reached out to him through social media following his arrest.
To my brother: I love u no matter what & if u feel the need to reach for help, I am here and willing to help you get better.
— Nick Carter (@nickcarter) July 16, 2017
The younger Carter lashed out at his brother for the tweet. “If my own blood (Nick) truly cared about my well-being, why wouldn’t he call me directly and have a conversation instead of making this about him through a very public forum?” his Sunday statement read. “That’s not cool at all to use me for his PR and kick me while I am down.”
“I don’t need help,” Carter told ET. “What I need is for people to understand that I’m human and that I make mistakes just like every other human in this world, but I would never risk my life or my girlfriend’s life.”
Habersham County State Solicitor Bill Oliver says the cases against Carter and Parker have not been turned over to his office.
Arraignment dates have not been set.
