Richie Sambora was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) yesterday (22.04.08).


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The Bon Jovi guitarist – who was arrested last month after police officers noticed his car weaving along the road in California’s Laguna Beach – was sentenced to three years probation, a three-month alcohol education class and ordered to pay fees.

However, Sambora – who was travelling with his 10-year-old daughter Ava and another unidentified girl – avoided a charge of child endangerment.

Farrah Emami, a spokesperson for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, said: “We felt that in order to file additional counts – in this case, child endangerment – we would have needed additional aggravating circumstances. The evidence did not support that.”

Ava is Sambora’s daughter with ex-wife Heather Locklear. Their divorce was finalised in April 2007 after nine years of marriage. Sambora has experienced problems with alcohol before, and entered rehab last June.

Following his treatment, he said: “I was just drinking too much and I needed to get my life together. I’m still in therapy and stuff like that, but it’s good. I’m great. I feel fine.”