The Dirt On The Dirty

SEPTEMBER 4--The owner of a popular web site devoted to publishing photos of boozing athletes, inebriated coeds, and other subjects caught with their pants down pleaded guilty himself yesterday to drunk driving.

But the criminal entanglement of Hooman Karamian has not been chronicled on The Dirty, the highly trafficked blog he operates under the pseudonym "Nik Richie." In January, Karamian, 29, was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona after a cop spotted him speeding through a construction zone. When the officer approached Karamian, who was driving a Porsche Boxster, he noticed several signs of intoxication, according to a police report, a copy of which you'll find here.

Karamian, pictured in the mug shot at left, smelled of booze, had bloodshot and watery eyes, and was slurring his words. He subsequently failed several field sobriety tests and registered a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of nearly twice the state limit when taking a Breathalyzer test. When asked to take the breath test, the police report notes, Karamian agreed, noting that "he had a website where he posted DUI results."

The Dirty advises its targets to "Learn to laugh at yourself or DON'T DO STUPID SHIT LOVERS!!!" and warns drunk drivers that their mug shot might be "plastered up in our hall of shame," which should make them "think twice before getting behind the wheel after drinking. DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE, FOLKS." As an added bonus, "fans of the site can even comment on how big of an idiot you are for drinking and driving."

While being processed by police, Karamian remarked that the cop "did not know the things he did for the community, and that a DUI would not be a good thing for him." When Karamian later refused to voluntarily provide a blood sample, he was strapped, yelling, into a restraint chair. That blood draw showed his BAC was .165, more than twice Arizona's .08 limit.

Karamian, whose occupation is listed as "website writer" on an arrest report, pleaded guilty yesterday to a misdemeanor drunk driving count during an appearance in Scottsdale City Court. He was ordered to pay about $2000 in fines and court costs, directed to attend an alcohol screening program, and sentenced to four days in jail. But that sentence, which begins Sunday, grants Karamian "work release" from 7 AM to 7 PM during the week (in this case Monday through Wednesday).

Karamian did not respond to e-mail messages seeking comment about his drunk driving case. (7 pages)