Snowboard star Shaun White arrested for vandalism

WASHINGTON - Agence France-Presse

Shaun White. REUTERS photo

Two-time Olympic snowboarding gold medalist Shaun White has been charged with public intoxication and vandalism after an incident at a Nashville hotel, police said yesterday.
 
White, 26, was a guest at the Loews Vanderbilt in the Tennessee city where the incident took place Sunday.
 
"Officers responded to the hotel at 2 a.m. Sunday regarding an intoxicated man, reportedly White, who allegedly pulled a fire alarm at the hotel which caused the evacuation of all guests. An employee also said that he saw White destroy a hotel phone," a Metropolitan Nashville Police Department statement said.
 
The flame-haired White "reportedly attempted to flee the hotel in a cab but a citizen prevented the cab from leaving, telling the driver he was calling police. When White overheard their conversation, he allegedly kicked the citizen and fled on foot," the police statement added.
 
The witness said "he chased White until White turned and ran into him apparently causing White to fall backwards and strike his head against a fence. White was transported to a local hospital for treatment" and released Monday.
 
"Arrest warrants charging White with vandalism and public intoxication were issued Sunday morning after he refused to sign misdemeanor citations," the statement said.
 
White is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, winning the snowboard halfpipe competition at both the 2006 Turin Winter Games and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
 
White, dubbed the "Flying Tomato", has also competed in the Winter X Games, where he has won a medal every year for the past decade.
 
At this year's Winter X Games, White became the first athlete in history to score a perfect 100 in the men's Snowboard Superpipe.