RHOBH Star Kim Richards Arrested for Battery, Public Intoxication

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kim Richards was arrested after reportedly kicking a police officer during a drunken episode. The incident occurred early Thursday morning at the Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills.

TMZ reports:

Sources tell us … Richards had been hanging out at the famous Polo Lounge inside the hotel and was asked to leave because she was too hammered and being “unruly.”

We’re told Richards went to a bathroom and refused to come out. Cops were called to the scene and we’re told they had to “drag her out” of the bathroom.

Richards — who has struggled with substance abuse in the past — was reportedly belligerent, slurring her speech and reeked of booze.

She was apparently taken to jail and later kicked a police officer. She was charged with trespassing, resisting arrest, battery of a police officer and public intoxication.

Kim revealed to Andy Cohen that she suffered from alcoholism during a reunion special in February of 2012 following the second season of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Since then, she has maintained that she subsequently got help and is now sober.

However, Kim’s sobriety was a major plot point during much of this season of the show with many cast members—most notably Lisa Rinna—questioning whether or not she had fallen off the wagon after instances of bizarre behavior.

Kim explained her seemingly intoxicated behavior during a party at cast member Eileen Davidson’s house by admitting that she had taken a prescription painkiller given to her by her sick ex-husband, which one could argue was indeed a lapse in her sobriety.

During the recent reunion special (the last episode of which aired just this week), Kim and her sister Kyle Richards fought what seemed like constantly about a laundry list of issues—many of which seemed related to Kim’s sobriety, her erratic behavior and her close friendship with fellow cast member Brandi Glanville, who often did not get along with Kim’s sister Kyle. Brandi has insisted that Kim is still sober. (Just a few hours ago, Brandi tweeted, “Wanted to say thank you to @KimRichards11 for donating to our school auction in the middle of all she has going on! so proud of her.”)

I’ve always maintained that Kim Richards is the saddest Real Housewife ever—not simply because of her alcoholism but because she allows such a serious subject to be dealt with on national television in a manner that never benefited her. Unfortunately for Kim, this incident puts a lot of weight behind the concerns that were directed at her all season long.