Actor Matthias Schoenaerts (47) was briefly detained last Friday night in Pelt after refusing a breathalyser test during a traffic stop and driving without a valid licence.
According to Liesbeth Leekens of the Limburg Public Prosecutor’s Office, two police reports were filed against him for traffic violations.
Schoenaerts was driving without a valid licence because he still needed to complete exams following a previous court ruling. His car was towed as part of the standard procedure for such an offence.
The actor, known for leading roles in films such as Rundskop and Loft, was stopped at around 4 a.m. during a traffic check. Officers asked for his driving licence and requested a breath test. He could not present a valid licence, as he had lost it for four months in 2021 after being caught driving under the influence of drugs. To regain his licence, he was required to undergo medical and psychological tests and to pass new theoretical and practical driving exams, which he reportedly has not completed yet.
Leekens confirmed that the actor also resisted during the towing of his car. “He adopted a defiant attitude towards the officers involved and insulted them,” she said.
Three police reports were filed against Schoenaerts. One was for driving without a valid licence, another for refusing the breathalyser test, and the third for insulting the police officers. He will face the police court for the first two offences, while the investigation into the charge of insulting the police remains ongoing.
