Actor-playwright Sam Shepard has pleaded guilty to speeding and drunken driving charges in central Illinois.
Shepard apologized to Judge Casey Costigan during Wednesday’s hearing and said he never intends to drive under the influence again.
He was fined $600 and court costs and has been placed on 24 months’ supervision. He also has to finish an alcohol treatment program and perform 100 hours of community service.
Shepard, who won the 1979 Pulitzer Prize for drama for “Buried Child,” was arrested Jan. 3 after officers stopped him for driving 16 mph over the speed limit. Police said a breath test indicated Shepard’s blood-alcohol level was double the legal limit.
The 65-year-old Shepard says he often stops in the area when traveling from his Kentucky home to visit relatives in Minnesota.