Tiger Attack Survivor Headed to Jail

Elder brother gets 2 days for drunken driving charge

The Dhaliwal name just can't stay out of the news.

Kulbir Dhaliwal, 25, and his brother, Amritpal Dhaliwal, 21, survived the tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo on Christmas Day 2007. Thier friend, Carlos Sousa, was killed in the attack.

Since then, the Dhaliwal brothers have faced scrutiny for their roles in the attack and have had numerous run-ins with the law.

The latest incident means a two-day jail term on a drunken driving charge for the elder of the two brothers.

Kulbir's blood alcohol level was 0.10 percent when police pulled him and his brother over in San Mateo on Aug. 5. An officer also smelled marijuana and found an open bottle of vodka in their car during the stop. Both brothers were arrested.

When police asked Amritpal Dhaliwal for his identification, he gave the name Tarlock Dhaliwal, their other brother. The officer eventually learned the brothers' true identities and discovered that Amritpal was on parole.

Amritpal pleaded no contest to the charge in early August and was sentenced to 10 days in jail. He has since served that time and been released.

He's no stranger to the justice system. Amritpal also has a conviction for leading police on a 140-mph chase through San Jose in April 2007.

Two weeks prior to their August arrest, Kulbir was arrested near San Jose State University on suspicion of felony cocaine posession. 

At the time of the tiger attack, the brothers were facing charges of public intoxication and resisting arrest in connection with a Sept. 2007 scuffle with San Jose police. They were later convicted.

In May 2009, the zoo agreed to pay the Dhaliwal brothers $900,000 to settle numerous claims.

These brothers obviously need something to do with their time and money.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

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