Anchor Norman Robinson given public urination citation, TV news anchor Norman Robinson crashed his personal vehicle early Saturday morning in Algiers and was booked on charges of driving while intoxicated and reckless driving, police and station officials said.
Robinson, 57, lost control of his vehicle and it flipped over while he was driving alone, New Orleans Police Department spokeswoman Sabrina Richardson said. She said no one else was hit and Robinson suffered no serious injuries.
After he was taken out of the car, Robinson urinated in front of officers and was issued a summons for public urination, said a police source close to the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The source said Robinson's blood alcohol content was 0.131, which is 1.6 times the legal limit.
The exact location and time of the accident were not available.
Robinson was taken to Central Lockup and booked about 9 a.m. He was released soon after on $6,000 bond, according to the Orleans Parish criminal sheriff's office.
Robinson, who anchors the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekday newscasts, has been at WDSU for more than 17 years. He was a reporter at WWL-TV before becoming a White House correspondent for CBS News.
He returned to the city to join WDSU and gained fame in 1991 when he made his personal feelings known while questioning Republican gubernatorial candidate David Duke, a former Ku Klux Klan leader, during a statewide televised debate.
Robinson quickly became one of the area's most recognizable TV personalities.
After Hurricane Katrina, Channel 6 for many months delayed NBC's late-night lineup so Robinson could host a half-hour public affairs show, "6 On Your Side Live."
When the 2006 New Orleans mayor's race received national attention, Robinson co-anchored a debate seen nationally on MSNBC.
"He's literally seen it and been there if it's happened in New Orleans for the last two decades and then some," WDSU News Director Jonathan Shelley said.
Shelley said station management was meeting Saturday evening to decide how to handle Robinson's arrest.
"We're pleased, first and foremost, that no one was seriously hurt," station President and General Manager Joel Vilmenay said. "Norman is a colleague, a friend and an asset to this community. We wish him and his family the best as they address this situation."
