Justin Timberlake was arrested for DWI in June 2024, which quickly made nationwide news amid his The Forget Tomorrow World Tour. The dramatic situation was dragged out after the public learned of his DWI charge, even though Timberlake was released from the Sag Harbor Police Department hours after the arrest. Following his recent plea deal, the pop singer admitted he made a “mistake” during a press conference.
Get all the details about Timberlake’s arrest and guilty plea, below.
Why Was Justin Timberlake Arrested in Sag Harbor?
On June 18, the “Mirrors” hitmaker was pulled over by a police officer in the Hamptons, New York. According to the arresting officer, Timberlake was pulled over because he didn’t stop at a stop sign and didn’t remain in his lane while driving. The officer claimed that his eyes were bloodshot and that he didn’t perform well in the standardized field sobriety tests after turning down a breathalyzer test three times.
Timberlake was subsequently charged with one count of driving while intoxicated and two traffic violations for failing to stop at a stop sign and for not staying in his lane.
Was Justin Timberlake Drunk While Driving?
When the arresting officer pulled him over, Timberlake reportedly told the cop that he “had one martini” before getting behind the wheel.
Timberlake’s lawyer, Edward Burke Jr., provided a statement to Hollywood Life following his client’s arrest.
“I will have a lot to say at the appropriate time but am currently awaiting full discovery from the District Attorney’s office,” Burke said in his statement before adding, “I look forward to vigorously defending Mr. Timberlake on these allegations.”
Justin Timberlake’s Plea Deal
Alongside Burke, Timberlake appeared at the Sag Harbor Village Justice Courthouse on September 13, 2024, and he entered a guilty plea. Per NBC News, the NSYNC member agreed to a plea deal with the court, which was to plead a noncriminal traffic violation of driving while impaired. A judge, however, reportedly found the agreement lacking. Therefore, he asked Timberlake if he’d be willing to complete 5 to 40 hours of community service, which he agreed to in addition to paying a $500 fine.
Following the plea deal, Timberlake appeared at a press conference in Sag Harbor on September 13.
“Many of you have been covering me for a lot of my life and, as you may know, I try to hold myself to a very high standard for myself,” he said, before adding, “This was not that. I found myself in a position where I could have made a different decision, but I’ve had some time to reflect on that.”
Timberlake elaborated by encouraging everyone not to drive even if they have “one drink.”
“What I’d like to say to everyone watching and listening: Even if you have one drink, don’t get behind the wheel of a car,” the pop singer said. “There’s so many alternatives, call a friend, take an Uber, there’s many travel apps [or] take a taxi. This is a mistake that I made, but I’m hoping that whoever is watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake.”