Randy Quaid released on bail in 'unpaid' hotel-bill row
Actor Randy Quaid and his wife were released from a West Texas jail after their arrest for allegedly not paying a $10,000 (€6,800) California hotel bill.
The pair posted bail after the sheriff provided a ride to a bank.
Quaid and his wife, Evi, each posted $20,000 (€13,600) after spending several hours in the jail in Marfa, Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez said.
Mr Dominguez said he drove the actor to a bank to obtain the bail money.
Quaid remained in his custody during the trip but was not handcuffed. The sheriff said the actor received no special treatment.
“I like to help everybody out,” Mr Dominguez said. “It’s a small town.”
A felony warrant for burglary, defrauding an innkeeper and conspiracy was issued out of Santa Barbara, California, for Quaid and his wife after authorities received a complaint in early September that the couple had not paid a bill of more than $10,000 (€6,800) due to a local hotel, according to a release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
The warrant was issued after sheriff’s detectives filed a case with the district attorney.
Santa Barbara County sheriff’s spokesman Drew Sugars said detectives had not yet spoken with the actor and the department said it would not immediately release further details.
The Quaids were arrested yesterday afternoon after a deputy spotted the couple driving in Marfa, where they had been staying at a hotel, Mr Dominguez said.
Evi Quad “resisted a little bit, it wasn’t too much”, the sheriff said. “She calmed down quickly.”
Mr Quaid won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of President Lyndon Johnson in 'LBJ: The Early Years'; but he’s perhaps best known for his roles in the National Lampoon’s 'Vacation' movies, 'Independence Day' and 'Kingpin'.
He also played a hard-nosed sheep rancher in 'Brokeback Mountain', then sued Focus Features and the film’s producers in 2006, claiming he was compelled to work cheaply when told the film – which earned $82m (€55.9m) at the domestic box office – had no prospects of making money.
A native Texan, he is the older brother of fellow actor Dennis Quaid.
