Actor Joins Alcohol Program in Bid to Avoid Jail Sentence

Actor Jan-Michael Vincent has enrolled in an alcoholism rehabilitation program, hoping to avoid a 30-day jail sentence for violating probation on a drunk-driving conviction, his attorney said Wednesday.

The attorney, Ron Carpol, said Vincent, 40, of Malibu, star of the recently canceled television series “Airwolf,” is attending counseling sessions at the outpatient Alternative Action Program in West Los Angeles.

Carpol said Vincent hopes a favorable evaluation from directors of the program will convince Malibu Municipal Court Commissioner Richard Brand to modify a jail sentence handed down in late May. At that time, the actor admitted driving a car within six hours of consuming liquor, a violation of the terms of probation given him in December, 1983, when he pleaded guilty to drunk driving.

Vincent was supposed to appear in Malibu Municipal Court on Wednesday to begin serving his sentence. However, the actor did not attend the court session and Brand continued the hearing until next Wednesday.

Carpol said he did not know why Vincent failed to show up for the hearing.

Vincent is scheduled to go to trial July 28 on a felony battery charge that he punched a woman friend and broke her nose.

That case is the third one in which Vincent has been accused of striking someone.

The actor pleaded no contest in July, 1985, to disturbing the peace after a man accused him of going into a “fit of rage” at a Malibu party. Vincent allegedly was kicking his girlfriend when the man tried to intervene. He was sentenced to three years’ probation and fined $85.

Vincent was acquitted in May, 1985, of charges stemming from a barroom brawl.