Merv Adelson’s attorney says he may have had stroke
By RICK CARROLL Special to the Daily Press
A Los Angeles television and film producer faces a misdemeanor charge of child abuse after he allegedly ran his SUV into two cars, two trees and a parking sign last week in a Colorado resort town.
Mervyn Lee Adelson, 73, a prominent figure in the entertainment world also faces charges of driving while under the influence of drugs and reckless driving from an incident that occurred on June 8 in Aspen, Colo.
The child abuse charge is connected to the allegation that Adelson was recklessly driving his vehicle while his 2-year-old daughter was with him. Adelson, according to a summons on file at the Aspen Police Department, “permitted his daughter, age 2, to be unreasonably placed in a situation that poses a threat of injury to the child’s life or health.”
Adelson, a part-time Aspen resident, is the former husband of television journalist Barbara Walters. He is considered an influential figure in the entertainment and communications industries, having co-founded Lorimar Telepictures, a producer of television programming and major motion pictures.
In 2001, former Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu awarded the Sheba Humanitarian Award to Adelson, who also served as vice-chairman of Time Warner from 1990-2000.
Adelson could not be reached for comment. His attorney, Richard Cummins of Aspen, said Adelson apparently had a “mini stroke” on the morning in question.
“I’ve had him see a physician,” Cummins said last week. “There may be an area of his health that affected his motor skills.”
“There may be an area of his health that affected his motor skills.” — — RICHARD CUMMINS Attorney
Cummins said he believed Adelson also was taking prescription drugs the morning of the incident. Cummins said Adelson would “absolutely” fight the charges. He has not yet appeared in court.
One witness to the event, Aspen resident John Callahan, called Adelson’s trip in his 1996 Suburban “one of the strangest things I’ve ever seen.”
Callahan, who was on his way to Sunday morning mass with his wife, called 911 on his cell phone after Adelson’s trip came to halt, which didn’t come before he hit two vehicles, two trees and a parking sign, police said.
According to an accident report, Adelson was traveling east on Highway 82 with two wheels on the sidewalk of a bridge. When Callahan pulled over, Adelson’s Suburban struck it in the left rear, the report says.
Adelson’s journey then continued east on Main Street, where he swerved across and hit another vehicle. He then continued driving and took a right on Monarch Street and hit two trees and a parking sign before coming to a stop, the report says. No one was injured.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 4, 2003. Read the original PDF.