Bay: 'Shia wasn't drink-driving'

Rex Features

Transformers director Michael Bay has claimed that Shia LaBeouf was not intoxicated when he crashed his truck at the weekend.

Speaking to Access Hollywood, Bay explained that the actor "was not drunk" because he "was drinking hours and hours before" the incident occurred.

Bay noted that he had given his Transformers star road safety tips just before the crash, saying: "We had a little heart-to-heart the week before when he bought a brand new motorcycle. I [said], 'Dude! You cannot ride that motorcycle! If you crash, you put 1,500 people out of work'. He said, 'OK, I won't ride it, I won't ride it. I'll just drive my truck'."

LaBeouf required extensive hand surgery after colliding with another vehicle, but Bay denied rumours that his injuries will halt filming on Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen.

"[Shia's] two fingers are pretty mashed, but we're figuring out a way to shoot around it, kind of write it in the story," he said.