California driver's license issued to Nick Bollea

Thursday, April 9, 2009

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This picture, taken by a TMZ photographer, shows Bollea behind the wheel of a car.

BAY AREA (Bay News 9) -- The son of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan is back behind the wheel after serving jail time for reckless driving.

The state of California has granted Nick Bollea a license to drive with no strings attached. Now paparazzi have already snapped photographs of Bollea behind the wheel.

A couple of months ago, the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles granted Bollea a hardship license to drive. Initially, the California DMV said they would not recognize his hardship license from Florida, which meant he would not be able to drive at all in that state until May 2011.

Bollea's license was revoked for three years as part of his 'no contest' plea to a felony reckless driving charge.

He was facing those charges in connection with an August 2007 crash that left his passenger and friend John Graziano with permanent brain damage.

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Now the question is - is the photograph snapped by a TMZ paparazzo proof that he violated his probation?

Bollea's attorney, Kevin Hayslett, said it's all legal.

"I guess it's out of the bag now," Hayslett said. "Nick was issued a full license in the state of California. So, he's able to drive in California with no restrictions at all."

A spokeswoman for the California DMV confirms the state granted Bollea a full driver's license on Monday - the day the picture was taken - because Florida did not put any restrictions in the national database.

Haylsett said the reason why Bollea received a full California license was that Florida hardship license he obtained before he moved.

"California is one of the states that looks at the fact that he had a valid license in Florida, albeit with certain restrictions, but they don't recognize those restrictions," Hayslett said. "So, he's given a full license to drive in California."

Hayslett said Bollea can now drive any time in any state - except Florida. When Bollea is here, he still has to follow those hardship license restrictions.

Bollea is still working on his community service and has a job with a record company in California, Hayslett said. He also said Bollea wants to get back into drift racing, but at this point he is not competing competitively.

Bollea has four more years of probation.

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