Barry Bonds Gets Ticketed in World Series Aftermath

It was a crazy scene in San Francisco after the Giants won the World Series over the Texas Rangers. There was joy, celebration, laughter and smiles. There were fires, riots, looting and gunfire. Pretty standard, really. Meanwhile, down in Los Angeles, a former Giants star was getting into legal troubles of his own. (Cue the ominous-sounding music.) That man was Barry Bonds.

But forgive me for the dramatic buildup: Bonds run in with the police was merely for talking on his cell phone while driving. According to the celebrity gossip website TMZ, Bonds was pulled over in West Hollywood and ticketed around 10 p.m. If Bonds pleads guilty, he will pay a fine of $125 for the violation. Despite his substantial legal team, I'm guessing he probably won't contest the charge.

In California, drivers must use a hands-free device to talk on the phone while operating a vehicle, and drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from any non-emergency use of an electronic device while driving. It is also illegal to type or read text messages while driving. If police witness a driver talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device or texting, they can issue a citation for an infraction.

Barry Bonds issued a statement that did not address the citation but did congratulate the team:

"There is no city that deserves this championship more and I congratulate ... all the guys on the team that fought hard to bring the trophy home to the city of San Francisco ... I grew up watching my dad and godfather as Giants, lived out my dream playing in the same uniform in front of the best fans in the world and I just witnessed the Giants winning the World Series. I am ecstatic for the team, the city and all the fans -- you truly deserve it."

Related Resources:

• Police give Barry Bonds a ticket as Giants celebrated their title (San Jose Mercury News)
• Driving While Texting: Apps to Block It and Toughening Laws (FindLaw's Common Law)
• Study: Distracted Driving Laws Have Not Reduced Crashes (FindLaw's Injured)