Celebrity charged after appearance in Schaumburg

Brandon Novak, who has appeared in several "Jackass" films, has been charged with criminal damage to property in connection with a celebrity appearance at a Day of the Dead convention last month in Schaumburg, police said.

During the appearance, Novak opened a bottle of wine and splashed it onto the crowd, according to police reports. The wine spilled on a DJ's laptop computer and mini DJ controller, which were between Novak and the crowd, causing it to short circuit and shut down. Damage was estimated at $2,200. According to the victim, Novak should have realized that the wine would fall on the equipment.

Novak, 36, of the 200 block of South Exeter Street, Baltimore, Maryland, was arrested around 11:30 p.m. Nov. 22 at Marriott Hotel, 50 N. Martingale. According to police, Novak was given chances to pay for the damage, but he refused. His court date is Dec. 23.

Novak, who wrote the 2008 book "Dreamseller" about his heroin addiction, which began at age 14 when he was a professional skateboarder, spent 10 months in prison in 2011 after he was charged with forging a prescription.