California Bay Area underground rapper Del tha Funkee Homosapien was rear-ended by a drunk driver a few days ago while en route to perform at a Denver venue.

The founding member of the group Hieroglphyics was traveling with his boys from Colorado Springs to Denver in an SUV when a Ford Expedition slammed into his vehicle so hard that everyone was thrown forward. Del states that, luckily, his car was hit dead center. Had it been struck from an angle, he said, it might have flipped over.

Del was asleep at the time of the accident. Bukue, a member of Del's crew, wrote on his MySpace page that everyone involved was "sore but in good shape." Del, however, suffered the hardest impact, according to Bukue, who went on to say that the rapper had to be taken to the hospital by an ambulance to undergo X-rays. "The X-rays came out negative," he said.

The driver of the vehicle that struck Del and his camp, fled the scene.

And speaking of drunk drivers...

Former Detroit Lions wide receiver Charles Rogers, 28, was found in an unresponsive state behind the wheel of his Mercedes while the vehicle was still in gear in a left-turning lane. Rogers, who refused to take a Breathalyzer test, was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and operating without a valid license.

According to police reports, Rogers did not respond to police requests to unlock his vehicle, so in order to gain entry into his Mercedes, law enforcement had to enter through the sunroof. Rogers, who is no stranger to the criminal court system, declared in a recent interview with ESPN that he was cleaning himself up and turning his life around.

The former $55-million man was cut from his team a few years ago for failing a drug test. He was arrested last year for assault and battery involving the mother of his four children. Rogers also served 30 days in jail earlier this year after violating probation due to the domestic violence case.

Although both charges are misdemeanors, each carries a penalty of up to 93 days in jail and/or a $500 fine. The way the court system seems to be operating these days -- making examples of star players -- Rogers had better find the best representation money can buy.

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Ruth Manuel-Logan is a Car Chick indeed! She grew up in a family where cars reigned supreme. Who says girlie girls can't be into nuts and bolts, metal and exhaust fumes? When she's not car bloggin' at Black Voices, you can find her at the Examiner.