Justin Timberlake has reached a plea agreement in his New York DWI case, allowing him to avoid drunk driving charges. The 43-year-old singer will instead face a lesser charge of driving while ability impaired (DWAI), resulting in a traffic violation.
Timberlake officially agreed to the plea deal on Tuesday, under which he will be fined between $300 and $500, with the final amount to be determined by a judge. The agreement is expected to be finalized on Friday at the Sag Harbor Village Justice Court, where Timberlake is scheduled to appear for a hearing, concluding his DWI case from June.
The incident occurred when Timberlake was arrested in Sag Harbor after allegedly running a stop sign near the American Hotel. He reportedly refused a breathalyzer test, stating he had only consumed “one martini” with friends. However, police claimed he failed several field sobriety tests, showing signs of intoxication such as poor balance and difficulty following instructions.
As a result of his refusal to take a breathalyzer, Timberlake’s driver’s license was suspended, which is standard in New York and typically results in a one-year suspension.
Throughout the case, Timberlake and his attorney, Edward Burke Jr., have maintained that he was not intoxicated at the time of the arrest. Burke’s office has declined to comment further on the plea deal. Despite their denial of intoxication, Timberlake will still face penalties for the traffic violation as part of the plea agreement.
