Singer Justin Timberlake addresses the media after his appearance in court in Sag Harbor, New York, U.S., September 13, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Pop star Justin Timberlake was handed a sentence of community service on Friday (September 13, 2024) after he changed his plea to guilty following his arrest for drunk driving, US media reported.

On June 18, the 43-year-old entertainer was pulled over in the town of Sag Harbor, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of New York City, after police observed his BMW go through a stop sign and struggle to stay within road lanes.

Sag Harbor Village Justice Court justice Carl Irace handed Timberlake a community service sentence and ordered the star to make a public statement after the 43-year-old pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of driving while alcohol impaired, The New York Post reported.

The officer who pulled over the “Cry Me a River” singer said he was in no fit state to drive.

“His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, a strong odour of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath, he was unable to divide attention, he had slowed speech, he was unsteady afoot, and he performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests,” the police report said.

New York:

Pop star Justin Timberlake was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated in a chic town east of New York City, and spent the night in jail before being arraigned and released, local officials said Tuesday.

The 43-year-old Timberlake, known for such hits as “SexyBack” and “Cry Me a River,” was taken into custody in Sag Harbor, part of the affluent Hamptons community, in the early hours of Tuesday.

“Justin Timberlake was arrested in Sag Harbor for driving while intoxicated,” the prosecutor’s office in Suffolk County said in a statement emailed to AFP.

“He was arraigned in Sag Harbor Village Justice Court and released on his own recognizance,” the statement said, adding that Timberlake’s next court date would be a virtual appearance on July 26.

Sag Harbor police said in a statement that a police officer pulled Timberlake over shortly after midnight after seeing him driving his BMW through a stop sign and failing to stay on the right side of the road.

“Upon investigation, it was determined that Mr Timberlake was operating his vehicle in an intoxicated condition,” police said, confirming earlier media reports.

Timberlake’s eyes were “bloodshot and glassy,” and he “performed poorly on all standard field sobriety tests,” CBS reported, citing court documents.

The singer-actor, who is currently on tour in support of his latest album, reportedly told police he “had one martini” and was following his friends home, the network said.

“Mr Timberlake was placed under arrest, processed, and held overnight for morning arraignment,” police said.

Timberlake shot to stardom as a member of the boy band NSYNC before launching a solo career and eventually making the transition to acting. He has won 10 Grammy awards and four Emmy awards.

He is married to actress Jessica Biel. The couple has two sons.

 

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