Erin Brockovich Faces DUI Charge in Boating Incident

Erin Brockovich was operating a boat when a warden noticed signs that she was intoxicated at Lake Mead

Erin Brockovich-Ellis, whose exploits as an environmental activist were portrayed in an Oscar award-winning film, is accused of operating a boat while intoxicated at Lake Mead, officials said.

She was arrested at Las Vegas Boat Harbor at Lake Mead, just outside of Boulder City, Nev., on Friday, said Edwin W. Lyngar, a spokesman with the Nevada wildlife department.

A game warden arrested Brockovich-Ellis when he noticed signs that she was intoxicated, including slurred speech, while she struggled to dock her boat, officials said.

She tested above the legal limit of .08 blood alcohol content, Lyngar said.

Brockovich-Ellis was held at the Clark County Detention Center before bailing out.

Operating under the influence is a serious problem in boating, officials said. Some 50 percent of all fatal boat accidents are alcohol related.

“Boaters mistakenly think that boating and drinking go hand in hand,” Lyngar said. “They certainly do not. If we could keep people sober while operating, we'd have much safer waterways.”

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Brockovich, 52, of Agoura Hills, was made famous after actress Julia Roberts portrayed her in the 2000 film “Erin Brockovich” for which Roberts won an academy award for best actress.

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