Jeff Lewis revealed that his close friend Shannon Beador is seeking treatment after she was arrested for DUI and a hit-and-run late on Saturday night.
“I am happy to say that she is gonna be entering counseling this week, so I’m happy about that,” Lewis said on Monday’s episode of his SiriusXM show, “Jeff Lewis Live.”
The “Flipping Out” star explained that Beador called him after the incident and said that she is “accepting full accountability” and is “ashamed” and “embarrassed.”
“I don’t think Shannon is an alcoholic,” he clarified. “I think as her close friend, I think she’s going through a lot of personal struggles right now, and I think that she probably has been leaning on alcohol, but I don’t believe she’s an alcoholic.”
Lewis also confirmed that Beador was “in a car accident” that night and got “injured,” but nobody else was hurt.
TMZ reported on Monday that Beador clipped a house in Newport Beach, Calif., and fled, but Lewis didn’t confirm more than she was “recovering” from an injury.
Lewis, 53, admitted that he was “shocked” when he found out about her arrest, because he has “never known” Beador, 59, to “ever ever ever drink and drive” during their years-long friendship.
“I’m not justifying it, I’m not condoning it, I just am telling you what I know,” he emphasized.
The radio personality also explained that Beador would “obviously” not be making her scheduled appearance on his radio show alongside her “The Real Housewives of Orange County” co-star Taylor Armstrong on Friday.
Shortly after TMZ broke the news of the arrest, fans noticed that Beador went out with Armstrong, Lewis and his on-again, off-again boyfriend, Stuart O’Keeffe, over the weekend and questioned if Beador’s arrest occurred after that.
However, Lewis clarified that the pals’ night out occurred on Friday night — not Saturday.
“I invited Shannon on Saturday to go to Stu’s birthday at Abbey and Hi Top, uh, she said she was staying in, but she ended up going out, unfortunately,” he claimed, referring to two West Hollywood hotspots.
Lewis didn’t specify where Beador went or whom she went out with, but he did confirm that her on-again, off-again boyfriend John Janssen was present for Friday night’s shenanigans.
Police allegedly found Beador’s car parked in the middle of the street as she appeared inebriated while walking her dog.
The Bravolebrity was subsequently booked for two misdemeanors — hit-and-run and DUI alcohol — a Newport Beach PD rep told TMZ.
“I spent quite a bit of time with Shannon yesterday,” her lawyer, Mike Fell, told Pvnew Monday. “She is extremely apologetic and remorseful. We will be awaiting the official information on this case as it becomes available, and Shannon is prepared to accept full responsibility for her actions.”
