Justin Timberlake pleads guilty to DWI charge

Justin Timberlake entered a guilty plea in his DWI case Friday morning.

Timberlake arrived at the Sag Harbor Village Justice Courthouse in Long Island, New York with his attorney Edward Burke Jr.

As part of an agreement with the court, Timberlake pleaded guilty to a non-criminal traffic violation of driving while impaired.

Finding the agreement lacking, Judge Carl Erace, who suspended Timberlake's license at a hearing last month, asked Timberlake if he would be willing to volunteer at a nonprofit of his choice.

“I would be willing,” Timberlake replied, agreeing to 25 to 40 hours of community service. He also agreed to pay the fine.

After the hearing, Timberlake spoke outside the courtroom and told reporters that he tries to hold himself to “very high standards.”

“It was not like that. I found myself in a position where I could have made a different decision,” he said. “Even if you have a drink, don't get behind the wheel of a car. There are so many options. Call a friend, take an Uber. … It's There was a mistake that I made, but I hope that those who are watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake. I know that I certainly have.”

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney praised Timberlake for taking responsibility “and for using his platform to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving.”

“Drunk and drugged driving is a very serious nationwide public safety problem,” he said in a statement. “In 2024, with the prevalence and convenience of public transit and ride-sharing, there's no excuse for getting behind the wheel when you're impaired in some way.”

Timberlake's attorney said the singer had one drink two hours apart at the American Hotel.

“Contrary to what was reported he was forewarned not to drink other people's drinks or drive,” he said. “He wasn't rude, he wasn't offensive, he wasn't belligerent. In fact, he was polite, he was cooperative, he was respectful throughout his encounter with law enforcement.”

The attorney said the plea to reduce charges is consistent with the facts of the case.

The Grammy winner was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving on June 18 in the affluent Hamptons area of ​​Long Island.

He was enjoying an evening with friends at the American Hotel in Sag Harbor before getting behind the wheel of a gray Florida-registered BMW. According to a Sag Harbor Village police report, Timberlake was arrested after running a stop sign and failing his field sobriety test.

Timberlake said he had “a martini” before getting behind the wheel and driving to his friends' house. The officer who arrested the singer said in his report that Timberlake's “eyes were bloodshot and glassy, ​​his breath smelled strongly of an alcoholic beverage, he was unable to concentrate, his speech was slurred, he was restless.”