Star Wars Actor Arrested After Police Chase

Anakin Skywalker behind bars in South Carolina
By Brownie Marie,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 22, 2015 7:30 AM CDT
Star Wars Actor Arrested After Police Chase
In this publicity photo released by Lucasfilm Ltd., actor Jake Lloyd portrays Anakin Skywalker, a young Darth Vader, in "Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace."   (AP Photo/Lucasfilm Ltd., file)

A former Star Wars actor allegedly went to the dark side last week, taking South Carolina police officers on a high-speed chase for 25 miles. Jake Lloyd—best known for portraying a young Anakin Skywalker in 1999's Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace—was reported to police on Wednesday afternoon for driving recklessly in Colleton County, and allegedly took off when deputies pursued him onto I-95. "He starts passing cars on the double yellow line," Sgt. Kyle Strickland tells NBC News. "He's going head on into oncoming traffic." The 26-year-old reportedly hit speeds of 100 miles per hour and crashed through a fence.

When he reached a wooded area, Lloyd used the force, so to speak, and was not deterred by the trees. "He bounced off a bunch of them like a pinball machine," Strickland says. Lloyd eventually stopped, however, and gave police the surname "Broadbent." A former agent confirmed that the man was in fact Lloyd, according to an AP report. Strickland noted the former child actor "didn't appear to be on drugs or intoxicated" at the time of arrest but gave no insight into why he may have decided to run from the law. Lloyd was booked for driving without a license, reckless driving, failing to stop for officers, and resisting arrest, and was still in jail as of last night. His last film was the 2005 drama Madison, according to IMDb. (More Star Wars stories.)

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