Filmmaker Stone arrested on drug and alcohol charges

Oliver Stone

SAN FRANCISCO - Academy Award-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone was arrested on Saturday on drunken driving and drug charges at a police checkpoint in Beverly Hills, California.

Stone, who won best director Oscars for "Platoon" and "Born on the Fourth of July," was released yesterday after posting US$15,000 ($21,000) bond, said Sgt. John Edmundson, a spokesman for the Beverly Hills police department.

Police arrested Stone, 58, at a checkpoint on Sunset Boulevard near the border of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, he said.

Stone, driving a Mercedes, was one of nine arrests at the checkpoint set up as part of a statewide crackdown on drunken driving during the Memorial Day weekend.

Police would not release details of an intoxication test on Stone or the type of drugs in his possession.

A local court ordered Stone into a rehabilitation program after a 1999 arrest on driving while intoxicated and drug possession charges.

Stone's other films include "Wall Street," "JFK," "Nixon," "Natural Born Killers" and the 2004 release. "Alexander."

Stone's agent did not immediately return a telephone call.

- REUTERS