STAMFORD, Conn. — TV talk show host and Jerry Springer protege Steve Wilkos will have a drunken-driving charge erased from his record if he completes Connecticut's alcohol education program.

The Advocate reports Wilkos was granted admission into the diversionary program on Monday during a hearing in Stamford Superior Court.

Police say the 53-year-old Wilkos crashed his sport utility vehicle in Darien in January and his blood-alcohol level was 0.29 percent, more than three times the legal limit for driving.

Wilkos will have to complete a 15-week educational or treatment program and take part in a panel with victims of drunken driving.

Wilkos was the security director on "The Jerry Springer Show." He says he had a "complete lapse in judgment" when he drove drunk. His lawyer says he has dealt with the issue very seriously.

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Information from: The Advocate, http://www.stamfordadvocate.com