Man Who Rushed Stage At Drew Barrymore Event Charged With Stalking – Update

Greg Evans
·3 min read
1

UPDATE, with arrest details: Alleged Drew Barrymore stalker Chad Michael Busto, 43, was charged with stalking in the 4th degree, a class “B” misdemeanor, by Southampton Town Police last night , the department says.

In details of the arrest released overnight, police in the town on the East End of Long Island, New York, say that Busto, the Washington, D.C. man who rushed the stage as Barrymore was being interviewed at a panel event Monday evening in Manhattan, had been briefly detained Wednesday in Southampton’s village of Sagaponack after police received a report of a suspicious person “riding a bicycle up into private driveways and stating to area residents that he was looking for Drew Barrymore’s residence.”

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Busto was released after the brief detainment Wednesday, but, according to the police statement, “Patrol officers notified the detective division and a follow up investigation was conducted by Southampton Town Police detectives. Their investigation led to facts that substantiated a charge for Stalking and a wanted flyer was distributed to neighboring agencies.”

On Thursday afternoon, police in the neighboring town of East Hampton located the suspect, “took him into custody and subsequently turned him over to Southampton Town Police detectives for arrest processing.”

Busto has been held overnight and is expected to appear in Southampton Town Justice Court for arraignment this morning.

PREVIOUS, Aug. 24: The man who rushed the stage at a New York City panel event featuring Drew Barrymore Monday was arrested today after being detained Thursday near the star’s home in Southampton, Long Island.

The arrest of Chad Busto was confirmed to Deadline by Southampton Chief of Police James Kiernan, who said additional details on the incident will be forthcoming.

Busto was detained by Southampton police yesterday after he was reported going from door to door in the area apparently seeking directions to Barrymore’s home. Kiernan said that further investigation lead to the suspect’s arrest today.

Busto will be taken to Southampton Town Police Headquarters for arrest processing today.

Barrymore was being interviewed by singer Renée Rapp at the 92nd Street Y venue in Manhattan Monday evening when the man rushed toward the stage shouting, “Drew Barrymore! I’m Chad Michael Busto. You know who I am. I need to see you at some point while you’re in New York…”

Security quickly blocked the man and lead him away while onstage Rapp immediately stood up and guided Barrymore offstage.

After Barrymore and Rapp apparently got the all-clear to return to the stage, the two resumed their conversation, with a laughing Barrymore hugging Rapp and saying, “I have a new definition of your sexiness. It’s that level of protectiveness. That went full bodyguard…You are my Kevin Costner!”

After the Monday incident, Busto’s prior criminal arrests in Santa Monica, Georgia, Texas and other cities have come to light, as has his alleged past stalking behavior of actor Amber Heard.

Barrymore has not commented publicly on the incident.

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