Justin Timberlake has been arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence. Photo / AP
Justin Timberlake has been arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence. Photo / AP
Pop star Justin Timberlake was charged early Tuesday (EDT) with driving while intoxicated in a village in New York’s Hamptons, after police said he ran a stop sign and veered out of his lane in the posh seaside summer retreat.
The boy band singer-turned-solo star and actor was driving a 2025 BMW in Sag Harbor around 12:30am when an officer stopped him and determined he was intoxicated, according to a court document.
“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 standardised field sobriety tests,” the court papers said.
A photo of the star has circulated online and shows him in handcuffs. The Grammy winner was being led from the police headquarters to the village’s Justice Court, the Daily Mail reported.
Timberlake, 43, was released without bond later Tuesday morning after being arraigned in Sag Harbor. He was charged with a DWI misdemeanour, and his next court date was scheduled for July 26, the Suffolk County district attorney’s office said.
Timberlake’s lawyer and representatives did not immediately return requests for comment from the Associated Press.
It’s understood the Cry Me a River singer had been out for dinner with friends at the American Hotel and was pulled over by a young officer who a source claims “didn’t even know who the pop star was”.
They continued to say, “He didn’t recognise him or his name.”
A source continued to tell Daily Mail, “Justin was out to dinner with friends, and there were cop cars stationed outside the restaurant like there are most nights.”
The source claimed the singer left the restaurant shortly after midnight and “was pulled over as soon as he left”. They added, “Nobody was hurt and there was no drama at the scene.”
Timberlake allegedly refused to participate in a breathalyser test when he was pulled over, TMZ reported.
The Mirrors singer is yet to release a statement following the arrest.
Justin Timberlake is currently in the middle of a tour, supporting his sixth studio album. Photo / Getty Image
Timberlake is currently touring America in support of his sixth studio album, Everything I Thought It Was.
He has two upcoming shows in Chicago on Friday and Saturday, then is scheduled for New York’s Madison Square Garden next week on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A young Timberlake began performing as a Disney Mouseketeer, where his castmates included future girlfriend Britney Spears. He rose to fame in the behemoth boy band NSYNC, embarked on a solo recording career in 2002 and was one of pop’s most influential figures in the early 2000s.
Timberlake also built an acting career, garnering acclaim in movies including The Social Network and Friends With Benefits and winning four Primetime Emmy Awards.
Last year, Timberlake was in the headlines when Spears released her memoir, The Woman in Me. Several chapters were devoted to their relationship, including deeply personal details about a pregnancy, abortion and painful breakup. In March, he released his first new album in six years, the nostalgic Everything I Thought It Was, a return to his familiar future funk sound.
