Actor/comedian Artie Lange has been charged with driving under the influence of an intoxicant and careless driving after being involved in a car accident in central New Jersey on Friday, according to a report from The Associated Press.

The stand-up comedian, radio personality and “Howard Stern Show” regular Artie Lange was arrested in Toms River after he got into a minor car accident. Artie was driving a 2009 Nissan Sentra when he struck the rear of a Pontiac Grand Am, the AP reported.

When and where the accident occurred

The incident took place on 10th of July, Friday. Artie was driving a 2009 Nissan Sentra at the time of the accident. Toms River police told AP that Artie’s vehicle struck the rear of another vehicle around 1:30 p.m. Friday. Cops said that vehicle was not seriously damaged, and no one was injured.

Artie’s strange behavior at the scene of the accident prompted the officers to arrest him, and take him to police headquarters for processing.

Artie, who has a history of substance abuse problems, was issued a summons to appear in court on Thursday, July 16. He was released on Friday evening, in time to appear at the Ocean County Library in Toms River, N.J., to talk about his book, "Too Fat to Fish," which has been a New York Times instant best seller. 

The state of New Jersey can sentence first-time offenders to as long as 30 days behind bars, require as much as 48 hours in community service, as well as can levy fines as high as $1,000 and strip a person of his or her driver's license for up to a year, the Asbury Park Press mentioned on its Website.

About the comic man

Born Arthur Steven "Artie" Lange, Jr. on October 11, 1967 in Livingston Township, New Jersey, comedian Artie is most notable for replacing Jackie Martling on The Howard Stern Show, and as a member of the original cast of the sketch comedy series MADtv.

In addition, he has appeared in movies such as "Old School," “Mystery Men,” “The Bachelor” and "Beer League" and also has been a recurring character on the TV shows "Rescue Me" and “Entourage.”

Released on November 11, 2008, Artie’s debut book, “Too Fat to Fish,” was named on the New York Times best-seller list on November 21, 2008. 

Throughout his tumultuous career, Artie has fought with several demons, ranging from heroin to pills to alcohol. He has been in and out of rehab on several occasions.