Fresh outta jail, crackhead actress Tatum O'Neal was owning up to her blunder. In fact, she thanked police officers who arrested her for "saving" her.

Tatum was arrested in New York City for buying crack cocaine from what appeared to be a drug dealer at 7:30 Sunday evening.

That's right. It's still light out at 7:30 p.m. Issues.

At the time of her arrest, the former Oscar winner told the cops she was "researching a part," one of the best celebrity excuses we've heard yet.

Upon her release from the slammer, however, Tatum O'Neal was signing a different tune, telling the New York Post that she was still sober.

She declared, "Just when I was about to change that and wreck my life, the cops came in and saved me!"

O'Neal also stated that she was driven to buy crack when - get ready for this one - her dog died. Yes, really. These last few weeks have been brutal.

"I couldn't get out of it. I was going to my psychiatrist. I was doing all I could do. I have the disease of alcoholism. It's lifelong. I treat it every day by going to my 12-step program," she said of her addiction.