Bam Margera was put on hold 5150 after his family feared for his life.
According to TMZ, police found the Donkey star at Trejo’s Tacos in Los Angeles on Sunday, and due to erratic speech, behavior and alleged suicidal threats, authorities determined he should be taken to a mental health facility. Under California law, if a person is deemed a danger to themselves or others, they may be held against their will for psychiatric evaluation and crisis intervention for up to 72 hours. It is unknown if Bam is still at the facility. Yahoo Entertainment has contacted its attorney for more information.
Bam traveled to Los Angeles last week to try to see his 5-year-old son, Phoenix, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Nikki Margera. Bam claimed on social media that Nikki blocked him from seeing Phoenix for months amid his addiction issues.
“Nikki continues to pray for Bam’s safety, sobriety and mental health stability. She contacted Bam to try to arrange FaceTime calls for their son, but Bam either did not respond or responded in a disparaging manner. “, Nikki’s attorney, David Glass, told Yahoo on Monday. “Nikki continues to put their son, Phoenix’s best interests first, and hopes Bam gets the help he needs so he can be stable, consistent and able to parent their son. Nikki joins calls from Bam’s family for Bam to be hospitalized for mental health and addictions treatment.”
Here’s what happens.
Bam’s brother pleaded for the public’s help earlier on Sunday
Jess Margera asked people in the Los Angeles area to contact police “immediately” if they know where Bam is. The pro skateboarder has been on a downward spiral for months as he battles drugs and alcohol amid his divorce from Nikki, which won’t allow Bam to see Phoenix until he enters treatment .
Jess revealed hours later that her brother had been found safe and sound, but the situation looked dire. “He texted me and my parents at 6am this morning saying he loves us, he loves Phoenix and he’s ‘at peace’ and he’s taken enough pills to stop his heart. And really heartbreaking dark bullshit”, Jess tweeted. “Thank you to everyone who shared information today.”
What is a 5150 retainer?
The term has been used in the media as Amanda Bynes, Britney Spears and Kanye West are among the stars placed under psychiatric observation. The number relates to code 5150, the California State Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) section on “Detention of Persons with Mental Disorders for Evaluation and Treatment.”
The LAPD likely called their Mental Assessment Unit to determine if Bam met the criteria for a 5150 wait. If he was suicidal, as the text messages suggested, Bam would not be placed under arrest, but taken to a facility for examination by mental health professionals. But just because he was placed for a psychiatric evaluation on Sunday doesn’t mean he’s still here. The law stipulates that his medical team must break the hold when the patient no longer meets the criteria for compulsory hospitalization. Thus, if a person is on hold for 72 hours, they can be released earlier. Alternatively, a 5150 can be extended to a 5250, which is a 14 day wait.
Bam released an alarming rant last week
The former MTV star threatened to smoke crack until he died unless Nikki allowed him to see their son. In a now-deleted post, Bam claimed he hadn’t seen Phoenix in two months. (Nikki filed for divorce in February and is seeking legal and physical custody.)
“I’m gonna smoke crack with the bums on the fucking boardwalk until I’m dead unless you deliver me from fucking Phoenix. Get to work Nikki, or anyone who wants to help. I wanna Phoenix,” Bam said last Thursday. He also blamed his family for “pushing” him to “drink”.
Nikki’s attorney told TMZ at the time, “Unfortunately, that’s not how addictions work. People’s behavior doesn’t drive other people to drink. It’s a typical defense mechanism, and it shows that Bam may not have learned much in his past addiction treatment. You need to take responsibility for your own actions. Nikki sincerely hopes that Bam can first achieve and then maintain sobriety, for his own good and for the sake of their son.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Treatment Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357)