This past weekend, WWE Hall of Fame inductee Hulk Hogan’s son, Nick Hogan, real name Nick Bollea, was arrested for driving under the influence. The police affidavit released following his arrest stated that he was going 51 mph in a 40 mph speed zone and initially declined to pull over when an officer flashed his flashlight. Once on the side of the road, the officers smelled a strong odor of alcohol in his car, and his eyes appeared bloodshot and glassy. Nick declined to take a breathalyzer and proceeded to fail field sobriety tests. The event was made even sadder by the fact it happened in Jacksonville, FL, the site of his DUI in 2017 that left his friend John Graziano paralyzed.
TMZ has released a video showing Nick partying with his famous father at Hogan’s Hangout in Clearwater hours before his arrest. In the video, Nick can be seen in the DJ booth, playing music during a bikini contest in which he was announcing the winners. Hulk was hosting the contest, and $5000 was up for grabs in prize money. Hulk can also be heard saying they were giving away free shots, which is notable considering Nick’s subsequent DUI arrest.
Neither Nick nor Hulk has commented publicly on the incident. Nick was processed the same day as this arrest and released on a $500 bond.
One person who is speaking out on Nick’s latest DUI arrest is Graziano’s mother, Debra. In an interview with TMZ, Debra said she was not surprised by what happened. In her eyes, she does not feel Nick has learned anything from the near-fatal car wreck that left her son in need of nursing care for the rest of his life.
“I can only pray that at some point in his life, while he still has the chance, that he turns his life around. Until then I hope no one else gets hurt,” she said. “I grieve the virtual loss of my son on a daily basis. I thank God daily that at least I have John here with us at home.”