Actor Rip Torn has pleaded not guilty to a charge of driving under the influence following an arrest in December.

The 77-year-old was pulled over by police on December 14th when he was spotted driving along the breakdown lane on a highway in Connecticut with a Christmas tree strapped to the roof of his car. He failed part of a field sobriety test after giving up halfway, claiming the ground wasn't level enough, and refused to take a breath test, according to state police.

Torn appeared in Bantam Superior Court on Monday to answer allegations of illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence, and failure to drive in the proper lane. His attorney, A. Thomas Waterfall, says, "All I can tell you is that we will review the reports, and Mr. Torn and I will meet to discuss his defense options. At this point, I don't know what they are yet."

It is Torn's third DUI arrest in the last five years, and the December incident came almost two years after he lost his license and was fined for a similar charge in New York.

Torn is due to return to court on January 28th.



-Click to View Gallery

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)