Justin Timberlake has reached a plea deal following his June 18 arrest for driving while intoxicated in the Hamptons. And the “Cry Me a River” singer hopes that fans learn from his mistake.
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Justin Timberlake Has Pleaded Guilty
On Friday morning (Sept. 13), Justin Timberlake pleaded guilty to a noncriminal traffic violation of driving while impaired. The lesser charge was part of a deal struck with the Sag Harbor (New York) Village Justice Court.
[RELATED: Justin Timberlake Pauses First Concert Following His Arrest, Speaks Out]
On top of monetary fines, Timberlake must serve 25 to 40 hours of community service with a nonprofit of his choosing.
Last month, Sag Harbor Justice Carl Irace suspended the 10-time GRAMMY winner’s driver’s license because he refused to take a breathalyzer test when police pulled him over. Timberlake’s attorney, Edward Burke Jr., told NBC News that the musician’s license would be suspended for the duration of the case. It isn’t immediately clear whether the judge reinstated it during Friday’s hearing.
“Don’t Get Behind the Wheel of a Car”
Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse following the hearing, the “Selfish” singer, 43, publicly owned up to his actions.
“What I’d like to say to everyone watching and listening, even if you’ve had one drink, don’t get behind the wheel of a car… Call a friend. Take an Uber… Take a taxi,” he said.
Justin Timberlake continued, “This is a mistake that I made, but I’m hoping that whoever’s listening and watching right now can learn from this mistake. I know that I certainly have… Even one drink. Don’t get behind the wheel of a car.”
More About The Initial Arrest
Attorney Edward Burke, Jr. has maintained throughout the court proceedings that his client was “not intoxicated” when he left the American Hotel in Sag Harbor.
Justin Timberlake claimed he had “one martini” before getting behind the wheel of his 2025 BMW. A hotel bartender confirmed this to People magazine, with a second employee adding, “If he was drinking more, it wasn’t here.”
However, the police officer who initiated the traffic stop wrote in the arrest report that Timberlake’s “eyes were bloodshot and glassy.” The officer further noted that “a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath.”
The officer stopped the “Cry Me a River” singer after he drove through a stop sign at about 12:30 a.m. June 18.
Featured image by PETER FOLEY/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
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