FORMER WCW STAR VAN HAMMER ARRESTED FOR DUI AFTER STRIKING FIVE YEAR OLD BOY

Former World Championship Wrestling star Van Hammer (real name Mark Hildreth, 60 tears old) was arrested on Sunday 1/26 and charged with driving under the influence in Boynton Beach, Florida (where he resides) following an incident where Hildreth's car struck a five-year old boy who was riding a bicycle, throwing the boy atop Hildreth's car's hood, according to local police.  The young boy was admitted as a trauma patient with possible internal injuries and "road rash."  He was in stable condition yesterday and his injuries are not said to be life-threatening, according to the Palm Beach Post.

According to the police report, Hildreth was driving driving near south Seacrest Boulevard and Southeast 34th Avenue when Hildreth's car struck the boy, who was riding his bicycle with his father.  Hildreth allegedly got out of the car, stated the boy jumped out in front of him, then drove away.  Another witness followed Hildreth to his home and identified him to police.  The police report notes that Hildreth smelled of alcohol and refused to take a breathalyzer, leading to his arrest.  He was booked into custody at 8 PM Eastern last night.

Hildreth has been charged with felony hit and run with failure to stop in a crash involving others and serious bodily injuries, DUI with injuries to another person  and leaving the scene of an injury crash.   

Hildreth was in Palm Beach County Court this morning to be arraigned with bail set at $125,000.  During the hearing, it was noted he had two previous DUIs in the past, one in Texas in 1985 and one in Georgia in 2004.  Hildreth was also ordered not to have contact with the victim or any potential witnesses, to make himself available to random testing for drugs and alcohol and that he not use any alcohol or drugs not carry and illegal weapons on his person:

Hildreth, best known as Van Hammer, was trained by Dean Malenko and Dan Spivey before debuting in World Championship Wrestling in 1991, playing a heavy metal rock and roll character.    He may be best remembered for a Falls Count Anywhere match with Mick Foley on a live Clash of Champions special and winning a 1992 Jesse Ventura Invitational arm-wrestling tournament.  He was with WCW for several years before departing.  Hildreth received a WWF tryout in 1993 but wasn't brought into the company.  He returned to WCW during the Nitro era, where he was a member of Raven's Flock and a member of the Misfits in Action tag stable as Major Stash.  He also had a hand in training Ring of Honor stars Jay and Mark Briscoe.

Hildreth remains incarcerated at the Palm Beach Main Detention Center as of this writing.

https://youtu.be/NlDh1dPB020