MTV’s Floribama Shore is another alcohol-fueled reality show with Jersey Shore vibes that sets its stage in Florida’s Panama City Beach. Fans of the show have grown familiar with Kortni Gilson, the 21-year-old bartender and dancer who known for her drunken antics that range from peeing on her co-star’s bed to starting bar fights, but what viewers may not know is that her history with drinking starts long before her debut on the Jersey Shore-esque reality show.
Kortni was once arrested for a DUI and slapped with an open container citation. In a police report obtained from Panama City Beach Police Department, The 22-year-old was arrested on October 19, 2016 for driving with unlawful blood alcohol.
Police responded to a gas station shortly after 2am, where the reality star was found sleeping behind the wheel with the car still running.
“Officer Driscoll explained he attempted to wake Ms. Gilson by knocking loudly on the front driver side window, but was unsuccessful,” the reporting officer wrote. “The vehicle was parked between two parking spaces; the vehicle was approximately 4 feet from a rack of propane tanks, which was directly in front of the vehicle.”
The officer than opened the front driver’s side door, which was unlocked and turned off the vehicle. After more attempts, officers were finally able to wake up Kortni.
“I asked Ms. Gilson if she knew where she was, and she stated, “in front of Newby’s (a local bar),” the report read. “I observed that Ms. Gilson’s eyes were bloodshot and watery. I could smell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from inside the vehicle.”
When the officer asked how much she had to drink, she responded, “a lot.”
“Ms. Gilson spoke with a thick tongue and her speech was slurred and delayed,” the report read. “Upon exiting the vehicle, she lost her balance and stumbled.”
After taking standardized field sobriety exercises, she was placed under arrest for a
'DUI.
Kortni pled not guilty to the DUI. She later pled no contest to the lesser charge of reckless driving.
On another occasion, she was issued a citation and ordered to pay $160 in fines for an open container, which was found inside her parked vehicle after telling police; she wanted the three passengers she was with out of her truck because she got into an argument with her then-boyfriend and the other two passengers.
“I asked [Gilson] if she had any alcohol insider her vehicle,” the report read. “Gilson stated yes and went into her vehicle, in the center console taking out a large 2-liter bottle of mountain dew that was filled with a brownish liquid. I then smelled the liquid and a strong odor of alcohol was coming from inside it.”