By Allyson Dailey

Billy Gillespie may have lost his job as the driving force of the UK Wildcats, but the former coach has put himself back on the map, by being under the influence. Gillespie was arrested in the early morning hours on August 27 on suspicions of driving under the influence. This is not the former coach’s first run-in with the law as this most recent arrest marks his third DUI charge. In Kentucky that’s what we call a trifecta.

As Gillespie’s mugshot serves as the screen saver for student computers across campus, we can also learn a lesson from his drunken mishaps. One would think the former coach could afford a cab; after all he was making some big blue bucks. We certainly know the following list of celebrities can spare the money for a cab or, better yet, an obnoxiously over-sized limo, but that seemingly does not stop them from drinking it up and driving on. Let’s check out the top five most infamous celebrity DUI’s.

5. Paris Hilton – Post “One Night In Paris,” the socialite was arrested on suspicions of driving under the influence in 2006. Just when we thought the heiress had returned to “The Simple Life,” she got into some more trouble, after she violated her probation by driving with a suspended license. Paris was later sentenced to 45 days in jail, although, she only served 23. The heiress made national headlines during her stint in jail, and has vowed to never drink and drive again. We hope the heiress keeps her partying under control … may we suggest with the help of her newfound best friend forever?

4. Michael Phelps – If making bad decisions was an Olympic sport, Michael Phelps could be a gold medalist. Before his Beijing blow-out and shortly after his Greek Olympic victory, Phelps was arrested for driving under the influence. As soon as Phelps hit the pool during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, it seemed as though people had forgotten all about his prior DUI. After winning eight gold medals, Phelps found himself in hot water again, when a picture of the swimmer smoking marijuana surfaced. Although we don’t think smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol can do the body much good, it doesn’t seem to be hindering his athletic performance.

3. Nicole Richie – The adopted daughter of the great Lionel Richie has a long history of legal trouble, including being charged with possession of heroin and a brief stint in rehab. In 2006, this socialite was arrested for a DUI after driving on the wrong side of a California highway. After all of this legal trouble, the starlet has seemingly cleaned up her act and has maintained her sobriety. Nicole welcomed her first daughter, Harlow Winter Kate, in 2008, and is expecting her second child with boyfriend Joel Madden this winter. Talk about a total transformation.

2. Lindsey Lohan – We have all heard of rebellious young Hollywood and Ms. Lohan might just be the poster child. The notorious party girl has been making headlines since she was 15 with her legal woes and multiple visits to rehab. After her first DUI, we would think the starlet had learned her lesson, but in 2007 Lindsey relapsed and received her second DUI, with a bonus charge of possession of cocaine. Lohan continues to be Hollywood’s favorite trainwreck and keeps the tabloids busy with her wild ways. Most recently, Lohan has traded in her drinking and drug card for a whole other bag of issues, including jewelry theft. We hope this “Mean Girl” can stay on the wagon.

1. Mel Gibson – Although, I don’t know if “favorite” and “DUI” should be in the same sentence, I think we can all agree that the drinking-induced “passion” of Mel Gibson tops our list as the most infamous celebrity DUI. In July of 2006, Gibson was pulled over for speeding and later failed a sobriety test. We were hoping that would be the end of the story … but no. Mel then let his “Braveheart” go wild and went on an anti-semantic rant, even taking aim at the arresting officer. Mel’s rant came with some serious consequences, including three years probation, 90-day alcohol abuse program, and 12 months of Alcoholic’s Anonymous meetings. Whoever said any publicity is good publicity, obviously didn’t consider the religious rants of drunken Hollywood A-listers.

As we peer into the not so glamorous lives of celebrities, we must remember that college partying, as fun as it may be, can have its consequences as well. Students need to be responsible, and if you drink, make sure you don’t get behind the wheel. Always remember that choices, both good and bad, have their ramifications.