Bam Margera Allowed To Leave PA To Work At 'Spookala' In Tampa

WEST CHESTER, PA — A Chester County judge Thursday ruled Brandon “Bam” Margera, former star of MTV’s “Jackass,” cannot yet take off an ankle bracelet that detects alcohol that he was required to wear for a month.

Judge Patrick Carmody, however, ruled the bracelet could be removed on Oct. 9 if Margera did not test positive for alcohol.

The judge acknowledged that Margera, who turned 44 years old Thursday, had complied with all the court-ordered conditions set at an Aug. 24 bail hearing.

He then granted Margera permission to leave Pennsylvania for work as long as he told court officials his whereabouts.

In a video Margera shared Thursday on Instagram, he said he will be at Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa at the "Spookala" event, skateboarding and meeting fans from Oct. 6 to 8. Spookala is a biannual horror convention with celebrities, horror movies, musicians, and other entertainment.

Margera's lawyer, Michael T. van der Veen of Philadelphia, said Margera has been following the conditions of bail.

The judge set the bail restrictions at the Aug. 24 hearing in the Chester County Justice Center after denying a request from prosecutors to revoke Margera's $50,000 bail in an assault case.

The prosecutors asked the judge to revoke the bail after Margera was cited in Radnor Township, Delaware County, for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, just two weeks after he was allowed to remain free in an unrelated assault case in Chester County.

The restrictions included requiring Margera to wear the ankle bracelet for 30 days, remain in the Philadelphia area, and go to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

In an Instagram video earlier this month, Magera announced he has been sober and has been wearing the ankle bracelet, holding his leg up to show the viewers the bracelet.

Margera said also said in the video that he was appearing on Sept. 16-17 at the PA Horror Con, a horror event in Langhorne, Bucks County.

The assault case

Margera was held for court on July 27 on charges of simple assault and making terroristic threats in connection with a physical altercation at Margera's Chester County home, known as Castle Bam, in the 400 block of Hickory Hill Road, Pocopson Township.

The fight broke out during Margera's two-week visit to his hometown, West Chester. His brother, Jesse, 45, testified in the preliminary hearing that Margera was hitting him in the face and acting out of control, noting his younger brother had been awake for days.

Margera, who grew up in West Chester, is a former professional skateboarder and stuntman, television personality, and filmmaker.

In the early 2000s, Margera became one of the stars of the MTV reality stunt show, "Jackass," and then created spin-off shows.

Margera's brother, Jesse, testified in Margera's preliminary hearing that his younger brother has struggled with alcohol and drug addiction and has been in and out of recovery programs for many years.

The disorderly conduct case

Margera was also charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct from an Aug. 9 incident in which Radnor Township police found Margera intoxicated at 4:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Radnor Hotel in the St. Davids section of the township.

Radnor police said that Margera was taken to the police station, where he was well-behaved and remained until he was sobered up.

The case is scheduled for a summary trial on Oct. 10 before District Judge Leon Hunter III in Newtown Square.