Bam Margera has been found safe in Delray Beach, Florida, according to the area’s Fox 29. The skateboarder, stunt performer and subcultural media personality went missing from a rehab facility in the state this week.
A spokesperson for Delray Beach Police told the TV station on Thursday (June 16) that officers had “made contact” with Margera after the 42-year-old left a court-ordered rehab stay on Monday (June 13).
He was located in a nearby hotel, per TMZ, where cops and a crisis intervention team found him Wednesday (June 15). He reportedly didn’t resist and returned voluntarily.
Last month, Margera looked happy after a year of rehab. He first sought treatment in 2009 and then again in 2015. After a 2018 DUI, Margera checked into another facility. He left rehab in 2019 after just 10 days. Then came an appearance on Dr. Phil where he asked for help.
In April, Margera reportedly asked to dismiss a lawsuit he filed against the makers of this year’s Jackass Forever movie, including Johnny Knoxville, the figurehead and co-creator of the reality comedy TV series on which the movie, the fourth Jackass film, is based.
During production, Margera was fired from the movie for failing to abide by a contract forbidding drug use, according to TMZ. He claimed wrongful termination after he tested positive for Adderall, which he said his doctors had prescribed.
Margera, who first found fame as a skateboarder who made irreverent skate films such as 1999’s CKY and subsequent sequels, hit peak popularity in the early 2000s when he starred in the reality series Viva La Bam. Margera was also in 25 episodes of the original Jackass TV series and appeared in the first three Jackass films. Margera makes a brief cameo in Jackass Forever, filmed before his dismissal.
But Margera’s recent behavior seemed to cause concern. Jackass Forever director Jeffrey Tremaine obtained a restraining order against him after he allegedly sent the filmmaker disturbing messages, per PopCrush. Margera also made veiled threats to Tremaine’s family on social media, as seen on ScreenCrush.
Details of a 2019 agreement signed by Margera show, in part, he acknowledged he couldn’t “engage in negotiating a contract [for] a new Jackass film unless [he stayed] in treatment for a minimum of 90 days and [followed] the rules” established. It said his participation was contingent on his “continued sobriety and mental health.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, help is available through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Please call 1-800-622-HELP (1-800-622-4357) or text 1-800-487-4889 for assistance.
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