Former child star and musician Drake Bell has been in the news for various legal and personal issues. Bell, who gained fame as a child actor on Nickelodeon’s “Drake & Josh,” was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in December 2015 for driving under the influence (DUI) and speeding. The Daily Mail reported that he was charged with a DUI and released on a $20,000 bond.
Bell later pleaded guilty to the DUI and was sentenced to four days in prison, but he ended up serving only one day. TMZ reported that the actor was also placed on four years of probation and ordered to attend an alcohol rehabilitation program. This was Bell’s second DUI as he was previously arrested in 2009 and convicted the following year for the same offense.
In addition to his DUI charges, Bell has also been accused of physical and verbal abuse by his ex-girlfriend, Melissa Lingafelt. In a now-deleted TikTok video shared in 2020, Lingafelt detailed the abuse she experienced while in a relationship with Bell. “It wasn’t until about a year when the verbal abuse started,” she explained in the video. “And when I say verbal abuse, imagine the worst type of verbal abuse you could ever imagine, and that was what I got.” Lingafelt also claimed that the verbal abuse turned physical, with Bell hitting and throwing her.
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Despite the allegations, Lingafelt did not press charges, and Bell has denied the accusations. According to People, Bell’s attorney released a statement denying the allegations and calling them “patently false.”
The accusations of abuse have led to a backlash against Bell, with some fans calling for a boycott of his music and acting projects. In response, Bell issued a statement on his Twitter account, saying that he “never abused my ex-girlfriend or did so many of the other things Melissa falsely claimed on her TikTok video.”
Bell’s legal and personal troubles have overshadowed his once-promising career. He began his acting career as a child in the late 1990s and gained fame in the early 2000s as one-half of the duo on “Drake & Josh.” He also pursued a music career, releasing several albums and singles.
However, his legal troubles have impacted his career. In 2018, Bell’s former “Drake & Josh” co-star, Josh Peck, got married, and Bell was not invited to the wedding, leading to speculation that the two had a falling out. Bell denied that he was upset about not being invited and said that he had not spoken to Peck in several years.
Despite the controversy, Bell has continued to release music and tour. In 2021, he released an EP called “The Lost Album,” which features previously unreleased songs. He has also announced several tour dates in the United States and Mexico.
Bell’s legal and personal troubles have led to questions about the entertainment industry’s responsibility to its child stars. Many former child stars have struggled with addiction, legal issues, and personal problems, leading to speculation that the pressure and fame of the industry can be damaging to young performers.
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Overall, Drake Bell’s legal and personal issues have dominated headlines, and his career has been impacted by the controversy. However, he remains active in the entertainment industry and has continued to release music and tour.
