Justin Timberlake has reached a plea deal to bring his drink-driving case in the US to an end. The pop star, who was originally charged with driving while intoxicated, has appeared in court in New York state, where he pleaded guilty to the less serious traffic offence of driving while impaired, which is non-criminal.
Timberlake has been ordered to pay a $500 (£380) fine with a $260 (£200) surcharge, do 25 hours of community service, and make a public safety announcement outside court. “Even if you’ve had one drink don’t get behind the wheel of a car,” the singer said. “This is a mistake I have made, but I hope whoever is watching and listening right now can learn from this. I know I certainly have.”
The 10-time Grammy winner was arrested on 18 June for going through a stop sign and failing to stay on the right side of the road in the Hamptons, a popular holiday destination for celebrities in New York. When officers pulled him over, Timberlake’s eyes were “bloodshot and glassy”, and a “strong odour of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath”, according to a charging document. He refused a breathalyser test and performed poorly on sobriety tests, the police said.
“I had one Martini and I followed my friends home,” Timberlake allegedly told the officer who stopped him. Outside the court on Friday, Timberlake’s lawyer said the pop star had one drink over the space of two hours that night. “A few weeks ago, I addressed all of you and said my client was not driving while intoxicated – after much discussion and a thorough review, today the DA [district attorney’s] office decided not to move forward with that charge.”
Timberlake first appeared in court last month, virtually from Europe, where he was on tour. In that hearing, he denied driving while intoxicated, which in New York carries penalties including up to a year in jail, and had his driving licence suspended in the state, which is standard procedure after a DWI arrest.
Timberlake – who has been open about struggles with excessive drinking in the past – referred to the arrest days afterwards at a performance in Chicago, telling the crowd ”It’s been a tough week’.
