Diff'rent Strokes actor charged

Gary Coleman played Arnold Jackson in Diff'rent Strokes

Former Diff'rent Strokes star Gary Coleman has been charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly rowing with a woman in a Utah car park.

Witnesses say the 39-year-old was in a car with a woman talking and hitting the steering wheel with his hands.

Captain Cliff Argyle alleges Mr Coleman left the vehicle "yelling and screaming" and prevented other drivers from exiting the car park.

If he is convicted he could face up to three months in jail and a fine.

Mr Coleman is best known for playing Arnold Jackson in the family TV comedy series Diff'rent Strokes, which aired from 1978 to 1986.

He once fought a legal battle with his parents over whether he was fit to handle his own affairs.

In 1999, he pleaded no contest to disturbing the peace after he punched an autograph-seeker he claimed insulted him.

The actor, who has suffered kidney problems since birth, later filed for bankruptcy blaming financial mismanagement.