Dennis Quaid
Gossip

Dennis Quaid was thisclose to being popped for DUI last night.

At Philippe restaurant in West Hollywood early this morning. Quaid, his wife Kimberly and a friend walked outside where valet had already brought their car.

The motor was running, they got in and Quaid got behind the wheel.

He turned the wheel a matter of inches but had not yet shifted it into drive when a local policeman pulled up alongside and urged the actor to call a cab.

Dennis responded that he didn't want to drive. The cop repeatedly said, "Get out of the car." Quaid responded, "What do you want me to do?!" He then grew some brain cells and asked if they could go back in the restaurant and the cop said yes.

Dennis Quaid and wife Kimberly lucked out last night.

The Quaids did end up taking a cab home and he came back for the car a short while ago. Interestingly, he could have been arrested from a legal standpoint.

The car was on and he was behind the wheel, but the police officer used his discretion and decided not to pursue it. Maybe he should thank the paparazzi.

Members of the celebrity gossip media mobbing the scene joked with Quaid, saying "You don't want a DUI. You don't want to end up like Mel Gibson!"

Hard to argue with that.

Good to see Dennis make the right choice in the end ... even if it caused a scene and took more than a little cajoling. All's well that ends well, right?

Besides, even if he had been arrested and tossed in the drunk tank overnight, Randi and Evi Quaid would still be the black sheep of the family.

Randy Quaid and wife Evi were arrested last week for skipping out on their bill for a stay at a hotel in Santa Barbara.

Considering Quaid is a successful actor with a seemingly healthy bank account, that's strange - but it's not the strangest aspect of this story.

According to Radar Online, private investigator Becky Altringer says Evi Quaid has a connection to Conrad Murray; yes, the same Conrad Murray suspected of playing a major role in the death of Michael Jackson.

Altringer claims Mrs. Quaid also used the shady doctor to fill numerous drug prescriptions, including one for Demerol, which she allegedly snorts on a regular basis.

“Evi told me she got her Demerol from Dr. Murray and plus another doctor,” Altringer told the website. “She told me that she and Michael Jackson had the same doctors.”

Through the course of her investigation, Altringer reportedly found other pills prescribed to Evi and believes the drugs have led to the woman's erratic behavior; the latest example of which just took place on Friday.

“Evi told me she believed Michael Jackson had been murdered, along with David Carradine, Heath Ledger, Chris Penn and Natasha Richardson,” Altringer said. “She thought everyone was out to get her, and blamed everything on 'the Mob.’”

The private eye also alleges that Evi Quaid often beat on her husband, forcing him into a life of alcoholism.

If true, this would place his role in Christmas Vacation in an entirely new light.

Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace were born on November 8 to actor Dennis Quaid and his wife, Kimberly.

But the happy occasion has turned tragic for the couple, following a grave mistake by hospital staff: the twins were accidentally given a major dose of the anti-coagulant heparin and are currently struggling to survive.

According to People magazine, the actor's rep, Cara Tripicchio, released the following statement: "Dennis and Kimberly appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers and hope they can maintain their privacy at this difficult time."

The babies are currently in stable condition in the neo-natal intensive care unit at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

The hospital did not directly comment on the Quaid twins, but it did say on Sunday that a "preventable error" occurred with three unidentified patients receiving heparin.

"I want to extend my deepest apologies to the families who were affected by this situation, and we will continue to work with them on any concerns or questions they may have," said Dr. Michael L. Langberg, chief medical officer at Cedars.

He added: "This was a preventable error, involving a failure to follow our standard policies and procedures, and there is no excuse for that to occur at Cedars-Sinai. Although it appears at this point that there was no harm to any patient, we take this situation very seriously."