.

musicNEWS: Rush Guitarist Arrested for Drunken, Violent New Year�s Eve


01-03-04 Keavin
.
Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson (real name Alex Zivojinovich) was arrested on New Year�s Eve after a drunken row with police at the posh Ritz-Carlton hotel in Naples, Florida. 

The trouble started after Lifeson�s 33-year-old son refused to leave the hotel�s stage during a New Year�s Eve celebration. Sheriff�s deputies reportedly had to use a stun gun on the 50-year-old rock veteran. 

Lifeson�s son, Justin, said he jumped on stage to sing with the hotel house band. 

"I was singing Happy New Year's, that's all I was doing, singing to the whole crowd. That's all I said, 'Happy New Year,'" Justin Zivojinovich said. "Everyone was enjoying themselves. That's when someone apparently started yelling for one of the security guards. There was no violence on our part."

The police report says that the trouble started after Justin refused to leave the stage and a row resulted between deputies and Alex Lifeson, who was reportedly intoxicated and became violent with police. 

Justin accuses police of breaking his father�s nose during the shuffle. 

Alex Lifeson reportedly spat blood into a deputy�s face and pushed a female deputy down a stairwell during the scuffle. 

Justin disputes this claim, saying that the deputy fell down the stairs as she pushed his father down the stairwell. 

Alex Lifeson, as well as his son Justin, were both arrested by police along with Justin�s wife Michelle Zivojinovich. Lifeson was charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and disorderly intoxication

Lifeson was released from Collier County jail Friday afternoon and has yet to publicly comment on the incident. 

more on Rush

Preview and purchase music from Rush
 
 
.