Many were surprised by recent news that veteran newscaster Sam Donaldson, 78, had been arrested for a DUI in early December, wondering what could have led the respected ABC News journalist to such a lapse in judgement. With a new announcement that Sam and his wife of 29 years, journalist Jan Smith Donaldson, 57, quietly separated months ago, perhaps we have our answer.

Jan’s lawyer, Sandy Ain, confirmed the split to The Washington Post on Jan. 2. “They remain on good terms with each other and are hopeful they’ll be able to resolve their economic issues,” Sandy says. The reason for the split hasn’t been given, and the couple still has yet to file for divorce. “It’s unclear where this is ultimately headed,” Sandy adds.

Sam & Jan Donaldson’s Marital History

Sam and Jan were married in 1983, marking his third marriage. The two met while both were working at ABC News. At the time of their engagement, he told colleagues that this relationship “is forever, until I expire.” After their wedding, Jan said that her older husband “really swept me off my feet in terms of energy and excitement.”

The couple have no children together, though Sam has four grown children from his previous marriages.

Sam Donaldson’s Other Headaches

News of the split comes shortly after Sam was arrested in Delaware on Dec. 1. Cops pulled the newsman over after he had driven onto the shoulder of the road. During the stop, he failed the field sobriety test and was immediately arrested. As he was reportedly incredibly cooperative during the arrest, he was released rather quickly. Sam’s case for his DUI arrest is still pending.

Do you think Sam’s split from his wife Jan led to his DUI, HollywoodLifers?

– Billy Nilles

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Sam Donaldson has been arrested for DUI — adding his name to a long list of fellow celebrities who’ve been busted for drunk driving.

TMZ has reported that, according to law enforcement reports, 78-year-old Sam was pulled over on Dec. 1, after he had driven onto the shoulder of the road.

During the stop, Sam reportedly failed a field sobriety test and was immediately arrested for DUI. Unlike some DUI situations we hear about in the celebrity world, Sam was reported to be very cooperative when in police custody, and was eventually released.

Sam once spoke to the Academy Of Achievement about the importance of discipline in life — a skill he seems to have lacked in this instance.

“Now, discipline doesn’t mean that you’re a martinet, and discipline doesn’t mean that you have to do everything anyone in authority tells you in lock-step because you can’t think for yourself,” he said. “But discipline means that you’ve got to organize your life in everything you do, for your own benefit and for the benefit of people around. If the appointment is at four o’clock, you ought to show up at four o’clock. If you’re unavoidably late a few minutes, okay. But the person who shows up at five o’clock or six o’clock and doesn’t think anything of it, that person is an undisciplined person.”

More About Sam Donaldson

Though Sam is making recent headlines for his DUI arrest, he’s been reporting news for quite some time now, and has been working for ABC News since 1967.

Hired by ABC to act as a Washington correspondent, Sam has covered political conventions, the Vietnam War, and served as ABC’s chief reporter on the Watergate Scandal that marred Richard Nixon’s presidency, from 1973-1974.

From 1977 to 1989, Sam served as the Chief WHite House Correspondent for ABC News, and would later go on to serve in various capacities, even hosting his own show, The Sam Donaldson Show — Live in America, from 2001 to 2004.

So, HollywoodLifers, are you surprised that Sam was arrested for driving under the influence after building such an impressive career?

– Written by Russ Weakland, Contributions by Debra Krein

Follow @mrsandwich96

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