Justin Timberlake pleads guilty to drunk driving in New York

Justin Timberlake has urged drivers not to get behind the wheel after just one alcoholic drink, shortly after declaring culpable driving under the influence of alcohol in the Hamptons in New York earlier this year.

His speech outside the Sag Harbor Police Department was part of a plea deal that saw a misdemeanor charge for a traffic violation dropped. The boy band pop singer turned solo star and actor was also sentenced to a fine of $500 with a $260 surcharge, 25 hours of community service at the nonprofit organization of his choice and a 90-day suspension of his license.

“I try to hold myself to a very high standard, for myself, and this was not the case,” Timberlake told media and other onlookers after the hearing in the adjacent Sag Harbor Village courthouse.

“Even if you’ve had a drink, don’t get behind the wheel of a car,” he said. “There are plenty of alternatives. Call a friend. Take an Uber. There are plenty of ride-hailing apps. Take a taxi. This is a great place to go.” mistake i made but I hope that whoever is watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake. I know I certainly have.”

The NSYNC star made similar comments during the court hearing, saying she grew up in a small town and understood the kind of tension her arrest has caused in a community like Sag Harbor.

The former whaling village, which is mentioned in Herman Melville’s classic novel “Moby Dick,” sits in the middle of the Hamptons, an area of ​​coastal communities about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of New York City.

Timberlake was arrested there shortly after midnight on June 18 after police said he ran a stop sign in the town center, swerved out of his lane and got out of his BMW smelling of alcohol.

Police said the 43-year-old Tennessee native told an officer he had a martini and was following some friends home. He originally pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of drunken driving.

Timberlake told the court he has had plenty of time to reflect on his actions and was “grateful for the opportunity to move forward” and use his platform to hopefully help others make “better choices.”

“I should have used better judgment,” he told the judge. “I understand the gravity of this.” Judge Carl Irace said he did not oppose reducing the charge Timberlake faced since it was his first time offending, and thanked him for speaking truthfully and “from the heart.” But he questioned the appropriateness of the proposed sentence of Timberlake making only one public announcement, dismissing it as “unsatisfactory.”

Irace said imposing an additional community service requirement would give the singer more time to reflect on his actions.

Prosecutor Patrick O’Connell told the judge they had considered recommending community service, but thought a Timberlake statement would be a more valuable public service because of its potential to influence a younger generation.

He also said Timberlake’s comments are expected to show that “no one is above the law,” not even the rich and famous.

“Mr. Timberlake was treated no differently than any other defendant,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney added in a statement after the hearing. “Justice must be applied equally to all people, regardless of their wealth or celebrity status.”

Among those in the courtroom Friday was a local mother whose 12-year-old son was killed by a drunk driver in 2018.

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