Teairra Mari, the 23-year old R&B and Hip-Hop singer who released Don’t Make Me Cause a Scene back in 2009, proved on Friday that it was no idle threat. Not content with rear-ending the car in front with her silver Infiniti on Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills around 3 am—while reportedly so drunk she could hardly stand—she then allegedly became “combative” with an arresting officer, leaving him with a “minor cut” to his hand. Whether this was inflicted by her trademark long nails or stilettos has yet to be confirmed—but Mari, who appeared in last year’s movie Lottery Ticket with rappers Ice Cube and Bow Wow—now faces a charge of assault on a police officer, on top of a DUI. After a night behind bars and the posting of $50,000 bail, the artist—who has released a series of mixtapes since her eponymous teenage debut album back in 2005—masterfully blended contrition with denial in her statement on the incident: “This is a very embarrassing moment for me,” it read. “But I absolutely did NOT ‘attack’ a Beverly Hills police officer and I’m very confused by those allegations.” However, “I did have drinks and I misjudged the situation by driving myself home.” Mari, who had reason to celebrate after signing with the Division 1 label and producer Rico Love just this month in a bid to re-ignite her career, was inclined to see a silver lining: “I hope that this situation can save someone from making the dumb decision to drink and drive!”
