Southern Charm star Kathryn Dennis sentenced to jail for DUI

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A former cast member of Southern Charm received a sentence on Friday following a drunk driving incident that occurred last year in South Carolina. The incident led to legal consequences for her after she was found driving under the influence.

Kathryn Dennis, 34, received a 30-day jail sentence and was taken into custody on Friday at 6:54 p.m. local time, as reported by WCBD TV-2, citing records from the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office.

Dennis did not immediately respond to DailyMail’s request for comment.

The reality star was at the center of a three-vehicle crash on Monday, May 20, 2024.

People who witnessed the event told police that Dennis seemed to be under the influence, and officers reportedly smelled alcohol on his breath.

When approached, the reality star appeared to have glossy eyes, according to the incident report.

According to the incident report, police discovered an unopened small bottle of Fireball whiskey on the driver’s side floor of Dennis’ car, as well as an empty pink cup.

As a lifestyle and wellness expert, I often encounter situations where clarity is key. In this case, the officer on the scene noticed a possible alcohol odor on Dennis and, following standard procedure, inquired if she’d consumed any alcohol or was taking any medication. Dennis firmly denied both, which is, of course, her right. It’s important to remember that this initial questioning is simply a part of ensuring everyone’s safety and well-being. Further investigation would naturally follow to confirm the situation.

In video footage obtained solely by DailyMail.com, the former Southern Charm star is also shown failing her field sobriety test from earlier that night – unsteady on her feet and without shoes in the glare of the police car’s headlights at the scene.

In the video, the officer removes the Fireball bottles from the bag, individually, and then finds a single can of Coke. Ultimately, he discards everything in the trash.

The incident report, obtained by DailyMail.com, states that the first officer who spoke with Dennis noticed her ‘glossy eyes’ and smelled ‘the odor of alcohol emanating from [her] person.’

The officer observed an unopened bottle of Fireball on the driver’s side floorboard and an empty pink tumbler cup in the center console.

The officer observed that Dennis declined a breathalyzer, but he did agree to perform a field sobriety test.

The dashcam footage from Dennis’s patrol car clearly and unfortunately shows just how badly he performed on the test.

As a lifestyle expert, I often discuss roadside safety, and it’s important to understand what officers look for during a stop. According to the report, the first thing the officer did was the ‘Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus’ test. Basically, they ask you to follow their finger with your eyes. What they’re watching for is involuntary jerking – a subtle, tell-tale sign that can indicate someone is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, especially when looking to the side. It’s a key part of their assessment, and understanding it can help everyone stay safe on the roads. You can find more information about this test on the NHTSA website.

In addition to detecting the smell of alcohol on Dennis, the officer observed four of six signs indicating possible intoxication during the test, including Dennis’s difficulty with smooth pursuit – meaning he struggled to follow a moving object with his eyes.

The officer then asked her to perform a walk and turn test, and she took off her sandals. During the test, the officer observed she struggled to maintain her balance even while standing still. She needed to use her arms and hands to help her keep steady as she walked, and she frequently failed to keep her heel in front of her toe – a key part of the test.

She was also unable to balance on one leg without wind-milling her arms to keep her balance.

Shortly after, unaware of how she was doing, Dennis is heard saying to herself: ‘I passed that damn field sobriety test. This is some nonsense. Like, I am literally not drunk.’

Dennis was traveling with her golden doodle puppy, ‘Lil Gucci’, and had put him in the back of the police patrol car during the tests. When officers checked the puppy’s carrier, they discovered, ‘several mini bottles of Fireball, some of which were opened and empty‘.

In fact, video of the search of her bag when she was processed into Berkley County Detention Center several hours later shows an officer taking out at least ten small alcohol bottles. Some of these bottles were empty, others were open and about half full, and a few were still sealed in the plastic packaging they came in.

Video from the patrol car, reviewed by DailyMail.com, shows Dennis experiencing a wide range of emotions as she tries to interfere with the legal procedures following her arrest. The footage captures her attempts to delay or disrupt the due process of her arrest as officers transport her to the detention center. She runs the emotional gamut in these efforts.

Sometimes she begs, and at other times she cries out in anger at being kept away from her ‘child’-which is her dog, she explains.

She fluctuates between threatening the officers with lawsuits, vowing to ‘ruin’ them, and trying to engage them in calmer conversation to gain their sympathy.

When she cries, her tears seem to stem from feeling frustrated and angry that her attempts to influence the police are not working. It’s clear that none of her strategies have any effect on them.

She claims the officer touched her inappropriately while securing her safety-belt across her lap. This happened while she was handcuffed behind her back and he reached over to fasten it.

She then accuses the officer of trying to ‘gaslight’ her ‘like my ex.’

Dennis’s complicated relationship with former congressman Thomas Ravenel, which produced two children, was a central focus of her eight seasons on the Bravo reality show, Southern Charm. The relationship ended in 2018 when Ravenel faced sexual assault allegations from three women.

You know, it really broke my heart when I learned about Dennis’s arrest. As she was being taken to the detention center, she pleaded with the officer, begging for a little understanding. She was so worried, saying, ‘I’m going to lose custody of my children, please!’ It just shows how devastating these situations can be – the fear of losing your family is immense. It’s a reminder that even in difficult circumstances, the family remains the biggest concern for many.

After a long and difficult legal fight, Dennis lost the right to raise her children, 9-year-old Kensington ‘Kensie’ Calhoun and 7-year-old St. Julien ‘Saint’ Rembert. This happened because she consistently failed the drug tests required by the court, and her parental rights were dependent on passing them.

She now has supervised visitation with them every other Saturday and Sunday.

At one point, she stated, ‘I don’t think I’ll ever see my children again. Thanks, everyone. There’s absolutely no point in me staying. So, congratulations, this is completely unacceptable.’

Dennis is acting erratically, appearing calm and rational one moment, then suddenly becoming furious and verbally threatening the officers. He reportedly said, ‘I will fing ruin you,’ after they informed him that his dog would be held at the animal pound until someone could pick him up.

I’ll never forget it. She just seemed to give up, completely drained. With a sigh, she said, ‘There’s no way to go back now is there?’ It felt like a final acceptance of everything that had happened. It really struck me, that moment.

She had to pay $1,199.50 to be released on bail for the DUI charge, and another $257.70 for having an open container of alcohol in her car.

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2025-10-04 23:05