Illegally Blonde: Video released of drunk Reese Witherspoon arguing with policeman

The actresses' husband tells police "I'm sorry, I had nothing to do with that"

Reese Witherspoon in a police mug shot. The actress was arrested on a disorderly conduct charge after a state trooper said she wouldn't stay in the car while her husband, James Toth, was given a field sobriety test. (Rex Features)

A video of Reese Witherspoon arguing with police after her husband was stopped on suspicion of drink driving has been released online.

The footage shows Witherspoon, who admitted to having had “one drink too many”, intervening as a policeman tries to question her husband, talent agent James Toth.

The Hollywood movie star, 37, and her husband, 42, were arrested in Atlanta during the early hours of Friday 19 April by a state trooper.

After being reprimanded for repeatedly getting out of the car to defend her husband, the video shows Witherspoon telling the policeman: “I’m a US citizen and I am allowed to stand on American ground and ask any question I want to ask.”

The policeman can then be seen arresting the actress for obstructing his questioning, to which she says: “Are you arresting me? This is beyond. This is harassment, you’re harassing an American citizen, I have done nothing against the law.”

Witherspoon’s husband can be heard pleading the actress to stop, but she continues her verbal onslaught.

“Do you know my name sir? You don’t need to know my name? Oh really, OK. You’re about the find out who I am.”

The footage then appears to show Witherspoon being arrested for obstruction and saying to the policeman: "I'm obstructing your justice? Really? I'm being anti-American? Wow. Interesting."

Once Witherspoon returns to the car, her husband can be heard saying: “I’m sorry, I had nothing to do with that.”

Witherspoon released a statement apologising for her behaviour, which read: “I clearly had one drink too many and I am deeply embarrassed about the things I said.”

It continued: “It was definitely a scary situation and I was frightened for my husband, but that is no excuse. I was disrespectful to the officer who was just doing his job. The words I used that night definitely do not reflect who I am. I have nothing but respect for the police and I’m very sorry for my behaviour.”

According to police reports the trooper pulled over the vehicle after noticing that the car the couple were travelling in wasn’t staying in its lane. He reported that Toth had “droopy eyelids, watery, bloodshot eyes and smelled strongly of alcohol”.

The report states Witherspoon refused to stay in the car while her husband was breathalysed. Witherspoon repeatedly got out of the car and was told that she would be arrested if she left the car again.

The police report states: “Mrs Witherspoon began to hang out the window and say that she did not believe that I was a real police officer. I told Mrs Witherspoon to sit on her butt and be quiet.”

Witherspoon was arrested on grounds of disorderly conduct. Toth was placed under arrest charged with driving under the influence.

The couple were released by police just hours after their arrest.