SAG HAVEN, NY — Justin Timberlake spoke out after he a settlement in his DWI case on Long Island.
Timberlake, 43, appeared in court in Sag Harbor on Friday and agreed to plead guilty to driving under the influence (DWAI), a lesser traffic offense. The DWI charge against him was dropped.
The settlement included a $500 fine with a $260 surcharge, as well as 25 hours of community service at the nonprofit organization of his choice. Timberlake has one year to complete the community service. The settlement also required Timberlake to make a public safety announcement, which he did immediately following his court appearance.
The judge was initially unhappy with the terms of the request, calling the sentences minimal. He asked Timberlake if he would also accept community service. Timberlake agreed.
When Timberlake entered the courtroom Friday morning, he was surrounded by camera crews. A large crowd gathered outside the courthouse to await his statement.
“I could have made a different decision”
Timberlake spoke outside court Friday after the hearing.
“A lot of you have probably been following me for a good portion of my life, and as you may know, I try to hold myself to a very high standard, for myself. And this wasn’t that. I was in a position where I could have made a different decision,” Timberlake said.
Timberlake said he has had time to think about the matter.
CBS News New York
“And so what I want to say to everyone watching and listening, even if you’ve had one drink, do not get behind the wheel of a car,” Timberlake added. “There are so many alternatives. Call a friend. Take an Uber. There are a lot of travel apps. By all means, take a cab. This is a mistake that I made, but I hope that everyone watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake. I know I certainly have. And like I said, even if you’ve had one drink, do not get behind the wheel of a car.”
Timberlake thanked the residents of Sag Harbor for putting up with all the attention the city is receiving.
“We can all be safer out there, and I’m going to do my part. I hope everyone does their part,” Timberlake said.
Timberlake’s attorney said he was pleased with the reduced charges and denied reports that Timberlake was drunk when he was arrested.
“The evidence revealed that my client consumed the contents of one drink in two hours at the American Hotel,” said attorney Edward Burke. “And contrary to what was reported, he did not drink other people’s drinks, or give advance warnings not to drive. He was not rude. He was not obnoxious. He was not aggressive. In fact, he was polite, he was cooperative, he was respectful throughout his encounter with law enforcement, as they were with him.”
Justin Timberlake Arrested for Drunk Driving in Sag Harbor
Sag Harbor Police Department
On June 18, Timberlake was arrested in the Hamptons village after allegedly ignoring a stop sign and failing to stay on the right side of the road.
According to court documents, the arresting officer said he could smell alcohol on Timberlake’s breath and that the pop star had bloodshot eyes, “performed poorly” on field sobriety tests and refused a breath test. Timberlake allegedly told the officer that he had drunk a martini earlier in the evening.
Timberlake was arrested and charged with driving under the influence. He was released on his own recognizance after his arraignment later that morning.
Woodlake appeared virtually in court on August 2 and pleaded not guilty. During the hearing, a Sag Harbor town judge suspended his license to drive in New York, which is standard practice in the state for DWI cases. Timberlake was in Germany at the time for his world tour.
The next stop on Timberlake’s tour is the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on September 28. He then plays the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on October 7 before returning to the Prudential Center on October 8.
