Justin Timberlake was reportedly arrested in Sag Harbor back in June for driving while intoxicated. He’s been charged with one count of DWI and cited for running a stop sign and failing to stay in his lane.
Per TMZ, Timberlake had dinner with some friends at a Sag Harbor hotel and left around 12:30 a.m. but was pulled over shortly after getting into his car. The gossip site claims to have obtained the police report, which reportedly states that Timberlake drove through a stop sign and had trouble driving in a straight line.
The report, which was also obtained by “Page Six,” says that Timberlake gave an “oral admission,” reportedly telling the police officer, “I had one martini, and I followed my friends home.” The singer, who according to the report had bloodshot eyes and a “strong odor of an alcoholic beverage” coming from his mouth, is said to have refused a breathalyzer test three times.
Someone who claimed to be at the same hotel restaurant as Timberlake on the night of his arrest told the New York Post that the singer seemed drunk. “He was wasted. At one point, just before closing, somebody got up to go to the bathroom and left his drink on the table,’’ the source said. “When [the man] came back, [Timberlake] was drinking his drink.”
Then there was this slightly embarrassing detail that emerged from a source speaking to “Page Six”: Timberlake’s friends tried to get the arresting officer to let the singer off the hook, per the anonymous source, but the cop was “so young that he didn’t even know who the pop star was.”
The singer reportedly remained in custody until the next morning, according to TMZ, and was later spotted leaving court in photos published by “Page Six.” A press release from the Sag Harbor Police Department confirmed that Timberlake was held overnight and released on his own recognizance following his arraignment.
A source told People that Timberlake showed up to his court appearance in handcuffs. They were removed after his arraignment. “He did seem a bit upset,” the source told the tabloid, who added that Timberlake’s wife, Jessica Biel, was not in attendance.
“The charge was a single count because he refused the breath test,” Timberlake’s lawyer, Ed Burke, told Us Weekly. “Mr. Timberlake was also charged with two other court citations, running a stop sign and not traveling in the correct traffic lane.”
Deadline reported that Timberlake made a virtual court appearance on Friday, where he pleaded not guilty to a revised misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated. The singer spoke only twice during the largely procedural hearing, both times to say “yes” to Justice Carl Irace. As part of the proceedings, Irace suspended Timberlake’s driving privileges in New York.
Burke, Timberlake’s lawyer, was threatened with a gag order if he continued to speak to the press. Irace even said he might compel the singer to appear in person should his lawyer keep speaking out of turn. Timberlake is currently in Antwerp, Belgium, as part of his world tour.
The next hearing in the case is a lawyer conference scheduled for next week. Timberlake will not need to make an appearance.
This post has been updated.
