Georgia college student who went viral for smiling mugshot is arrested again
A University of Georgia student who went viral for smiling in her mugshot was arrested again Sunday, about two weeks after her initial arrest.
Lily Stewart, 20, was arrested by the University of Georgia Police Department and booked at the Athens–Clarke County jail around 5:30 a.m. on two misdemeanors – obstruction of a law enforcement officer and loitering.
Stewart posted a bond of $4,600 and was released from police custody around 11 a.m.
It's unclear what led to her newest arrest. Her new mugshot is not available on public records, but The Independent has requested it from the University of George police.
It is the second time this month Stewart has been arrested. She was arrested for excessive speeding on March 8 – the inciting incident that led to her going viral thanks to her mugshot.
Earlier this month, the University of Georgia student was pictured smiling widely at the camera with her hair and makeup done and wearing pearl earrings. Stewart told PEOPLE she was on her way to a party when she was pulled over for speeding twice.
Stewart said she was pulled over by a Georgia State Patrol car and issued a ticket after going 85 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone. However, she was taken to jail after being pulled over for going the same speed just moments later.
People on social media circulated her mugshot calling her 'Miss America' and 'a baddie.' Others joked that she emulated the basic white girl aesthetic.
'Guilty of stealing my heart, your honor,' read one comment, with another adding 'In excess of speeding up my heart rate, your honor.'
Stewart found the response to her initial mugshot humorous, posting a video on TikTok sharing her favorite reactions and telling PEOPLE it was 'hilarious.'
The Independent has asked an attorney for Stewart for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
American woman faces court charged over fatal crash outside N Ireland hotel
An American woman has appeared in court in Northern Ireland charged with causing death by careless driving in what has been described as a tragic incident for all involved. Coleraine Magistrates' Court heard that Cathy Stewart, 66, a special needs teacher from Benton, Illinois, lost control of an electric vehicle as she parked it outside a hotel in Bushmills. The vehicle was described as having 'suddenly bolted forward' into furniture, striking Allison Eichner, aged in her 40s and from Connecticut, on Wednesday afternoon. Ms Eichner was taken to hospital but died of her injuries. Relatives of Ms Eichner watched court proceedings remotely while Stewart was granted bail on a number of conditions, including residing at her home address in Illinois and a £5,000 cash surety, in recognition that the case is unlikely to be heard until 2026 at the earliest. Ms Stewart appeared before the court on Friday morning charged with causing death by careless driving on Wednesday June 11 on the Causeway Road in Bushmills. She indicated she understood the charge when it was put to her. A police constable said she believed she could connect the accused to the charge. She also described a tragic incident for all involved, and said police were 'not entirely opposed to bail', describing the 'big problem' as being the address of the defendant but said with a substantial cash surety, bail could be an option. 'On Wednesday June 11, at approximately a quarter past 12 in the afternoon, a single-vehicle road traffic collision occurred at the front of the Causeway Hotel on the Causeway Road in Bushmills,' she told the court. 'It involved a grey Ford Transit, a multiple person vehicle, being driven by the defendant. The defendant collided with the pedestrian while she sat on a bench at the front of the property.' She said Ms Eichner suffered severe injuries and was treated at the scene by paramedics before being transferred to the Causeway Hospital but died of her injuries a short time later. 'CCTV footage of the collision was obtained from the hotel, and it shows a Ford Transit being parked in the disabled parking bay after which the passengers get out and make their way into the hotel entrance,' she said. 'The driver's door appears to open slightly as though the driver was exiting the vehicle, however the vehicle moves forward slowly, and then suddenly bolts forward colliding with a light fixture, outdoor dining furniture and the victim who was sitting beside her brother on a bench. 'Her brother jumped out of the way but unfortunately the injured party sustained the full impact of the vehicle. 'The defendant was cautioned at the scene and gave an account consistent with the CCTV. The defendant stated she believed she had turned the car off before attempting to exit and as it rolled forward she tried to apply the foot brake however instead she hit the accelerator causing the collision.' The constable said Ms Stewart was interviewed by police with her solicitor, answered all questions put to her, co-operated fully, and appeared remorseful. 'She had been in Northern Ireland since Tuesday afternoon on holiday with family and friends. She had left Belfast that morning with the ultimate destination of heading to Londonderry,' she said. 'The vehicle was a rental vehicle and she described taking time to familiarise herself with the controls before she left the airport. The defendant would say she was very cautious driving and stated she was in no rush. 'She admitted that she had never driven an electric or hybrid vehicle before, she described pulling into the parking space, stating that she pressed the start/stop button on the left hand side of the steering wheel and as far as she was concerned the vehicle shut down and stopped. 'The passengers in the vehicle got out and she remained in the driver's seat for a short time before stepping out of the vehicle and feeling it moving forward. She described trying to get back in and feeling for the brake, trying to stop the vehicle, however she stated she was feeling shocked and disorientated about what happened.' A defence lawyer for Ms Stewart described a 'tragic, tragic case'. 'This was a simple error which has caused catastrophic consequences,' he said. 'This was an electric vehicle, she pushed the button, she assumed that the vehicle was off and of course being electric it doesn't make any noise. Unfortunately it has surged forward. 'At the end of her interview she was asked was there anything she wanted to say, I'll read what she said 'I'm just devastated, I can't get that family out of my mind. I'm the person who protects, to know that someone lost their life is devastating'. 'This is devastating for two sets of people, most especially the family of the deceased, and throughout Mrs Stewart's only thoughts have been with that bereaved family.' He urged that bail is granted, adding she will have no difficulty coming back. 'She worked as a special needs teacher then a counsellor in a secondary school for over 40 years. She now works with a teaching union,' he said. The judge said bail was 'entirely appropriate in this case', given that the evidential and forensic requirements of prosecution are going to take some time. 'Given that, it would be entirely disproportionate and inappropriate to keep you in custody for the duration of the investigation,' he said. 'Equally it would be entirely disproportionate to keep you from the United States whilst the investigation is ongoing, so I will grant bail. The case is next to be mentioned on July 1.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
‘Touron' sparks outrage after walking toddler up to wild bison inside Yellowstone National Park: ‘I was shocked'
A tourist has sparked outrage after being filmed walking up to a wild bison in Yellowstone National Park and taking a small child with them. The shocking incident was captured on video, with users accusing the person of child endangerment. A woman wearing a pink hat walks alongside the toddler as they approach the enormous animal, which is grazing by the side of the road. The National Parks Service requires visitors to maintain a minimum distance of 25 yards from all wildlife, including bison, elk, and deer. The individuals reportedly had ignored the signs posted around the park and the warnings of multiple people. Jennifer Gunderson, a retired professional photographer from Northwood, Ohio, who filmed the incident, said the tourist and the child were 'close enough to spit' on the bison, adding that 'never in a million years' had she witnessed 'such stupidity.' She told The Independent that she and her husband had been having lunch at the Pebble Creek picnic area, when they heard shouting and saw a few parents with small children making their way towards a bison. 'We also shouted with the others but none of these families responded and kept getting closer,' she said. 'The people next to me were on the phone with park services so I decided to start recording in case of an incident and evidence was needed.' Gunderson and her husband are hunters, and so are familiar with the safe distances needed around larger wildlife. In addition, she said, they had planned their 20th anniversary vacation celebration for Yellowstone and had seen similar videos of tourists approaching bison. 'We have watched and followed the Tourons of Yellowstone Instagram account and shaken our heads at some of the things posted. Never in our wildest dreams would we witness it in person,' she told The Independent. 'I was shocked that people would get that close to a wild animal let alone bring small children with them.' The word 'touron' – combining tourist and moron – refers to someone who ignores the dangers around them while on vacation. According to the National Parks Service a fully grown male bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds, while a female can weigh up to 1,000 pounds. They can be aggressive, are agile and can run up to 30 miles an hour. Though neither the tourist or the child were hurt, cases of animal attacks are common in Yellowstone. On Tuesday tourist was gored after 'a large group of visitors approached it too closely,' park officials said. The 30-year-old man, from Randolph, New Jersey, sustained minor injuries and received treatment at the scene, according to park officials.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Washington erupts after agents handcuff Democratic Senator at DHS Secretary press conference
Washington erupted at the site of Sen. Alex Padilla of California being forcibly removed and pinned to the floor during a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Almost immediately, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer denounced the apprehension of Padilla during a speech on the Senate floor. 'I just saw something that sickened my stomach, the manhandling of a United States Senator,' Schumer said. 'We need immediate answers to what the hell went on.' Padilla arrived at Noem's press conference to confront her about the Trump administration's 'increasingly extreme' actions on immigration. Los Angeles has seen unrest over the last week after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) launched a series of raids on the nation's second-largest city, which has a large Latino and immigrant population. President Donald Trump sent in the National Guard despite the governor not giving permission to do so. Padilla's apprehension came as the House of Representatives was voting. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat of Texas, could barely speak to The Independent because she was saddened by it. 'I've been saying this for months now, Donald Trump wants to be a dictator, and this is the latest escalation in what has been a very, very concerning series of events in recent weeks,' Rep. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona told The Independent. Almost immediately afterward, members of the House Democratic Caucus marched to Senate Majority Leader John Thune's office, where they passed by House Speaker Mike Johnson and heckled him as Johnson held a gaggle with reporters. Johnson, for his par,t assailed Democrats' behavior. 'The Democrat Party is on the wrong side,' Johnson told reporters. 'They're defending lawbreakers and now they're acting like lawbreakers themselves.' Afterward, as Johnson made his way to his office, Rep. Madeleine Dean, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, had a private exchange with the speaker, where Johnson supposedly told her that he is talking to Trump. 'I said, 'What's going on in LA? That's so incendiary,' she told reporters. 'What's the message that the president sent on day one when he pardoned everybody who attacked this Capitol and would have killed any one of us?' But as the White House prepared to host lawmakers for the annual congressional picnic — typically a setting for inter-branch comity — administration officials reacted to the images of Padilla being taken to his knees by federal agents with nothing short of glee. Communications Director Steven Cheung took to X to describe the California senator as 'a complete lunatic' who'd suffered a 'freak out.' One White House official slammed his behavior as 'attention-seeking' and 'embarrassing' while suggesting that Democrats who speak up in Padilla's defense will be showing themselves to be more concerned about their own privilege as elected officials than about the officers who are being harmed by violent rioters. Another said that the president had been delighted by the scene because it made Padilla look weak and emotional. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took to X to condemn the senator as well, writing that he'should be ashamed of his childish behavior' and accusing him of having 'crashed the middle of an official press conference being held by a cabinet secretary' and 'recklessly lunging' towards Noem while refusing to leave the room as directed by law enforcement officers. A person familiar with internal deliberations within the president's inner circle who asked not to be identified out of concern for retaliation said the administration sees no political downside to the images of law enforcement putting their hands on Democratic lawmakers because a significant portion of Trump's most fervent supporters have spent years calling for prominent members of that party to be arrested and prosecuted. Earlier this week, Trump suggested that his 'border czar,' Tom Homan, should arrest California Gov. Gavin Newsom. He has also called for Padilla's partner in the Senate, Adam Schiff, to be arrested for treason when Schiff served as a congressman. In the hours afterward, plenty of Democratic Senators, including Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey, took to the Senate floor to defend their colleague. The incident with Padilla is just the latest flash point as the Trump administration continues to ramp up its efforts to conduct mass deportations of undocumented immigrants in the United States. It also coincides with his planned military parade.
