Nick Hogan, son of Hulk Hogan, sentenced to 1 year of probation for drunken driving

A Pinellas judge sentenced the son of wrestling star Hulk Hogan to 12 months probation Friday afternoon for drunken driving last November.

Nick Hogan, whose legal name is Nicholas Bollea, apologized to the Clearwater Police Department and the court for his actions. He then accused guilty of driving under the influence and failing to move over for a stopped Clearwater police car, nearly striking an officer.

Bollea, 33, may request an early release from probation after six months. He will be placed on a continuous alcohol monitoring system for the first 120 days, after which he will be screened for alcohol and drugs through urine tests. He will also have to pay more than $1,000 in fines.

“I'm very sorry for all of this going on,” he told the court Friday. “I never wanted to be in this position again.”

Bollea was arrested in the early morning hours of Nov. 18, 2023, after he sped past officers conducting a traffic stop on Gulf to Bay Boulevard in his Dodge Ram, going 51 mph in a 40-mph zone. Police said Bollea smelled of alcohol, could not balance himself and had bloodshot eyes. He refused a breath test and performed poorly on field sobriety tests, according to a police affidavit.

Bollea's charges came just over 16 years after a high-profile crash in which police said he had alcohol in his system. In 2007, he crashed his car while allegedly racing and seriously injured his friend, John Graziano, who suffered severe brain damage.

In that case, Bollea, then 17, pleaded no contest to reckless driving charges and received eight months in jail, though he was released after five. His license was revoked for three years.

Doctors determined that the amount of alcohol in his blood was just over half the level at which Florida law considers a driver impaired.

Though he was not convicted of alcohol-related charges in that case, the court required him to complete a DUI class and substance abuse evaluation and treatment at the time.

This episode was a significant factor in Friday's sentencing, according to Judge Diane Croff. She asked Bollea how he could drink and drive again after that experience.

Bollea's defense attorney and prosecutors previously reached an agreement for Bollea to plead guilty in exchange for a first-time minimum sentence — completing a state DUI diversion program — plus 120 days on a continuous alcohol monitoring system. Croff rejected it.

“I didn't and still don't believe first-time DUI sanctions are appropriate,” Croff said Friday.

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Bollea's attorney, J. Kevin Hayslett, said he was concerned Bollea might receive a harsher sentence because of his notoriety, referring to the recent DUI arrest of singer Justin Timberlake. He said celebrities often receive steeper penalties, despite public perception to the contrary.

Croff dismissed that assertion.

“I will tell you that I thought a jail sentence was appropriate,” Croff said. “Nothing to do with celebrity status — I don't know you, I don't see you as a celebrity. I'm focused on what happened in 2007.”

What swayed Croff away from jail time was testimony by two charity leaders and a counselor about Bollea's character and recovery efforts.

Since January, Bollea has been alcohol- and drug-free, Hayslett told the court.

Kevin Dunbar, the executive director of charity Clearwater for Youth, and ex-wrestler Steve Chamberland, the founder of prosthetics charity 50 Legs, testified that Bollea involved himself heavily in their organizations.

Dunbar said Bollea, a former reality show star, was helping them put together a fundraising concert in Coachman Park using his entertainment contacts. Chamberland said Bollea was key to 50 Legs' Boston Marathon fundraiser, which brought in half a million dollars in donations.

“It's been a blessing to have him involved,” Chamberland said. “He’s just a good kid, man.”

Hayslett — who also represented Bollea in the 2008 trial — described him as a “homebody” who spent most of his time working for his celebrity father's businesses, assisting his mother at home and helping out with charitable causes.

Bollea will be prohibited from drinking or going to bars or clubs as part of his sentence — including as part of his job as a local DJ, which Hayslett previously said would disrupt his work. He was also sentenced to 100 hours of community service.

“It sounds like you don't have a problem doing community service hours,” Croff said of Bollea's charitable work.

“I enjoy it,” he replied.

Croff remarked that, though those testifying referred to him as a good kid and “respectful young man,” Bollea needed to remember that he is an adult — and his actions have consequences.

As part of his sentence, Bollea will be required to participate in the Roadside Memorial Project, which requires DUI offenders to visit and photograph markers for people killed in traffic accidents.

“I do wish you luck, Mr. Bollea,” Croff said. “I hope this is a reset point in your life.”