Griffin O'Neal Gets 16 Years for Role in Car Accident

Being the son of a famous actor can sometimes get you out of trouble. That is not the case for Griffin O'Neal, the eldest son of Ryan O'Neal. He was sentenced to 16 years behind bars for causing a serious car accident last year in California. The 47-year-old O'Neal pleaded guilty to the charges of causing a head-on collision and driving under the influence of drugs. He also admitted to having shot into his ex-girlfriend's empty vehicle, a crime that dates back to 1992. While the judge eventually dropped the weapons charge, she gave O'Neal two options for his other crimes.

He chose to serve 16 months behind bars at 80 percent instead of serving one year with three years' probation. The former actor was already on probation for a previous DUI conviction from 2007. The defense attorney in this case has called O'Neal's actions "inexcusable" and has stated that the actor needs to seek substance-abuse counseling. Were you hurt during a car accident? If so, now is the time to seek representation from a personal injury attorney near you.