When a police officer in Taipei pulled over a white Mini Cooper early Thursday morning for a traffic offence, he probably wasn’t expecting to see actress Joe Chen behind the wheel.
In the video footage captured by the officer’s camera, her car was seen running a red light at a road intersection.
She was subsequently arrested after her breathalyser test showed a blood alcohol reading of 0.67mg/L, which is higher than the legal limit of 0.15mg/L in Taiwan.
The 38-year-old actress was released on a bail of NT$100,000 (S$4,500). While leaving the Taipei district prosecutor’s office, she said “sorry” as a horde of reporters questioned her about drink-driving, according to Apple Daily Taiwan.
When the incident took place, Chen was driving to grab some supper after having a tipple at home, SETN reported.
The A-lister, who has been in showbiz for the past 16 years, is best known for her roles in Taiwanese idol dramas such as Fated to Love You, The Prince Who Turns Into A Frog, and Queen of SOP.
In recent years, Chen’s popularity rose in China after she started starring in TV dramas and movies there. With earnings of 85 million yuan (S$17million) in 2017, she became one of the highest paid actresses in the country that year.
minlee@sph.com.sg
