It appears that Justin Timberlake got off easy after his arrest in Sag Harbor, New York in June. The 43-year-old reportedly reached a deal for a lesser charge in the case, with the judge agreeing to drop the DWI charge.
Accordingly TMZTimberlake's attorney, along with prosecutors in the case, convinced the judge to sign off on the deal. Instead, sources with direct knowledge of the situation say the “Cry Me a River” singer will plead guilty to Driving While Ability Impaired, a separate charge from drunk driving, which carries a fine of just $300-$500.
The judge will determine the exact amount of the fine during a plea bargaining session on Friday. NBC News A spokesperson for the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office confirmed that Timberlake will attend in person. In addition to the Grammy-winning artist's fine, his driver's license will be suspended for one year in New York, which is standard procedure when someone refuses to take a breathalyzer test.
Timberlake was pulled over for failing a stop sign and was allegedly seen spinning out in the road after meeting friends for dinner at a hotel in the affluent Hamptons town on June 18. He was arrested on a DWI charge after failing a field sobriety test, but pleaded not guilty and was released hours after his hearing.
Arresting officer Michael Arkinson of Sag Harbor Village, who did not appear to know Timberlake, described the singer as having glassy, bloodshot eyes and a “strong odor of alcoholic beverages on his breath.” The complaint also noted that he was “unable to maintain focus … his speech was slurred.” [and] he was “unsteady on his feet” even though he claimed he had only had one martini.
“Police didn't know who he was at first,” a source said. Page Bottom at the time. “Justin whispered, 'He's going to ruin this tour.' The cop said, 'What tour?' Justin said, 'World tour.'”
But despite all the controversy, Timberlake is still on tour, with performances in Newark, New Jersey; Brooklyn, New York; Philadelphia, PA and Washington, DC in the coming weeks.