Ted Nugent’s drummer pleads not guilty to alleged golf cart joyride

Everybody knows that rock stars are legendary for their bad behavior: The Stones trashed hotel rooms, the Who smashed their instruments onstage.

Pity poor Mick Brown, the drummer for rocker Ted Nugent. Now 55, the music industry veteran from Cave Creek, Ariz., was arrested following a concert in Maine for high-jinks many might consider appropriate for his, ahem, advancing age. He was busted for allegedly taking a drunken joyride on a golf cart.

Brown pleaded not guilty this week to operating under the influence of intoxicants, driving to endanger, theft and assault following a July 8 concert in Bangor, Maine. He remains free on $4,000 bail. He did not attend Wednesday’s court hearing.

The long-haired rocker is accused of stealing a golf cart from a concert venue and driving recklessly on a footpath after Nugent’s concert on the waterfront of the tiny Maine town, population 33,000.

Bangor police officers Steve Jordan and Jim Dearing were working at the waterfront pavilion during the show featuring Styx, REO Speedwagon and Nugent when security alerted them to an incident behind the stage, according to a police release.

“Brown pretty much took a golf cart and had a couple of chicks hanging on the back,” Sgt. Paul Edwards, a spokesman for the Bangor Police Department, told the Los Angeles Times. “He was whooping it up, but the women were yelling for him to stop.”

But Brown wouldn’t stop. He sped away on the golf cart down the footpath toward the Sea Dog restaurant.

“One officer had to jump out of the way,” Edwards continued.

Finally, a concert security guard blocked Brown’s path and threw him to the ground. A struggle ensued. Handcuffs were produced.

So much for the final encore of the rocker dubbed “Wild” Mick in the metal community. Brown is best known as co-founder of 1980s hit-makers Dokken, according to Billboard magazine’s website. He is also a member of Tooth & Nail with former Dokken guitarist George Lynch.

Once in jail, Brown switched on his megawatt nice-guy charm. He even signed autographs.

“He was real nice to the folks in the jail,” Edwards told The Times. “He was signing copies of his mug shots for the guards. They were all whooping it up. They were just loving it.”

Edwards said he posted Brown’s mug shot on his Facebook site and got a range of comments – from the irate to the just plain amused.

“A lot of people said ‘Give the guy a break, he was just having a good old time on a golf cart,’ but others were like ‘Throw the book at him,’” Edwards said.

“That mug shot is just priceless,” Edwards said.

ALSO:

Elvis candlelight vigil surprise: Priscilla and Lisa Marie

N.Y. support for ‘stop-and-frisk’ split along racial lines in poll

Two Louisiana sheriff’s deputies killed in early morning shootout

john.glionna@latimes.com