Erin Brockovich, who won a major legal battle against Pacific Gas and Electric Company of California in 1993, was arrested Friday on a charge of boating while intoxicated on Lake Mead near Las Vegas.
A Nevada Department of Wildlife officer grew suspicious when he observed a female boater having difficulty docking a motor craft.
NDOW spokesman Edwin Lyngar said, “She was obviously struggling to put the boat in the slip, and if you’ve had any experience, it’s a simple enough operation.”
Brockovich-Ellis, 52, was booked at Clark County Detention Center and posted $1,000 bail after failing a field sobriety test. She reportedly registered a Breathalyzer reading “significantly” over the legal limit of .08 percent.
The former law clerk was portrayed by Julia Roberts in the 2000 blockbuster movie ‘Erin Brockovich,’ about the legal battle she waged against PG&E, accusing them of polluting the drinking water in a small Southern California town.
The film earned Roberts a coveted Academy Award for Best Actress, and grossed $256.3 million worldwide.
Brockovich is currently president of a consulting firm that assists clients with environmental litigation. Her 2001 book ‘Take It From Me: Life’s a Struggle But You Can Win,’ appeared on the New York Times Best Seller’s List.
Photos: WENN