Justin Timberlake busted for DWI, other traffic violations in Sag Harbor
By Social Links forIan Mohr , Social Links forCarlos Greer , Social Links forJoe Marino and Social Links forIsabel KeanePublished June 18, 2024 Updated June 18, 2024, 2:43 p.m. ET
By
Justin Timberlake was busted for allegedly driving drunk in the Hamptons early Tuesday after blowing a stop sign and swerving out of his lane — saying under his breath to the cop, “This is going to ruin the tour,” sources told The Post.
The “SexyBack” singer, 43 — who is in the middle of a world tour including with dates in the Big Apple next week — was pulled over in Sag Harbor, LI, just after midnight and charged with driving while intoxicated and cited for running a stop sign and failure to keep in his lane, court documents show.
He told arresting officers he had just “one martini, and I followed my friends home’’ — while refusing three times to take a Breathalyzer test.
A witness at the bar told The Post that the superstar singer was “wasted — and even picked up someone else’s drink from the table and downed it when its owner went to the bathroom.
“When [the man] came back, [Timberlake] was drinking his drink.“The guy goes, “Justin, that’s my drink!’’ the source said.
Timberlake — a married dad of two who has acknowledged previous issues with “excessive drinking” — attempted to pass field sobriety tests, which he failed miserably, according to court documents.
The singer, a former kiddie Mouseketeer on the “Mickey Mouse Club,” appeared in court later in the morning looking rough in a black baseball cap, gray graphic t-shirt with “Live Circuit” on it and black short-sleeve button-up and was released without bail.
He faces up to a year in Suffolk County jail if convicted of the DWI rap. But experts told The Post that sentence is highly unlikely because he has no prior criminal record — and that the charge will likely be reduced and Timberlake sent off with a $500 fine and 90-day suspension of his license in New York.
Sources said that before the debacle, Timberlake was “having dinner with a bunch of friends’’ at the posh American Hotel, where a standard martini go for $21.50 a pop at its “old-war bar.’’
The hotel is a 2-minute walk from the local police station.
Timberlake — whose star actress wife Jessica Biel was in Manhattan to film a movie, according to sources— had been spotted playing golf at the ritzy Long Island club The Bridge over the weekend, sources said. The golf club counts Jay-Z among its members, sources said.
Timberlake drove away from the hotel in a 2025 gray BMW around 12:15 a.m. and almost immediately blew the stop sign, authorities said.
The “Mirrors” singer was pulled over by cops on patrol outside the charming hotel, a celebrity haunt where rooms can run up to $625 a night, sources told Page Six.
“He went to dinner with friends. There were cops stationed outside where he was having dinner. He pulled out and they pulled him over for a traffic violation,” a source said.
The stop sign that Timberlake allegedly blew through is notorious for having drivers miss it, Splash News said.
The cop who pulled over the 10-time Grammy winner was “so young that he didn’t even know” who Timberlake was, sources added.
“He didn’t recognize him or his name,” an insider said.
Timberlake allegedly told an officer at the scene, “This is going to ruin the tour.’’
The cop — who had his bodycam on — responded, What tour?”
The singer replied, “The World Tour,” the source said — adding that Timberlake “was a gentleman.
He didn’t show any entitlement at all. He did refuse the tests, but that is his right,” the source said.
Sources said Timberlake appeared glassy-eyed and smelled of alcohol.
His friends showed up at the scene and tried to convince the officers to let him off, but the singer was cuffed and hauled off by cops, sources said.
Ironically, the hotel is directly across the street from one of the most prominent lawyers in the Hamptons, Eddie Burke Jr., who Timberlake has retained.
Stars including Billy Joel and Bono have frequented the historic hotel, where sun-kissed patrons can feast on $29 plates of roasted bone marrow and $200 beluga hybrid kaluga caviar.
“It’s not fancy or clubby, it’s old and elegant,’’ a source said of the American. which has been known to be a favorite of Trump supporters and Republican National Committee types. “It’s the opposite of [lively party spot] Le Bilboquet.’’
Joel had lunch at the hotel with a male pal Tuesday afternoon and was asked about Timberlake’s misfortunes as the pair exited the establishment.
“Judge not lest ye be judged,’’ said the “Piano Man’’ — who has struggled with his own issues with alcohol.
Court documents indicate that Timberlake’s next court appearance will be July 26, though the singer will not have to attend the procedural date.
Even if the DWI charge sticks, he would never get near the up to year in jail because of his clean record and the fact that the incident involved a single vehicle, experts said. It’s more likely that the charge will be reduced to a violation, driving while ability impaired, for those reasons, said former Suffolk Assistant District Attorney and current criminal lawyer Michael Brown.
Timberlake could face up to 15 days in jail over the violation, but again, given his clean history and the incident’s circumstances — not to mention his top-notch lawyer — it’s all but assured he’ll get off with the fine and license suspension, Brown said.
Police and courts officials did not respond to Post requests for comment.
The former NSYNC member, often referred to as the “Prince of Pop,” has been on his The Forget Tomorrow World Tour since April — and has concert dates scheduled for next week in the Big Apple.
The crooner is slated to take the stage at Madison Square Garden next Tuesday and Wednesday.
He also has shows scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Chicago’s United Center.
Timberlake, who once famously dated pop star Britney Spears, has two sons, Silas, 9, and Phineas, 3, with Biel.
He made tawdy headlines in November 2019 when he was allegedly caught grabbing “Palmer” movie co-star Alisah Wainwright’s hand and resting it on her knee while hanging out at a bar in New Orleans, where they were filming.
Sources told The Sun at the time that Timberlake “appeared to have been drinking heavily and was unsteady on his feet.”
A Timberlake source later told Page Six, “There is 100% nothing going on,” noting that the pair was “on an open balcony” when photos of them allegedly getting close were taken.
Reps for Timberlake did not respond to a Post request for comment on the star’s Tuesday’s misfortunes.
-Additonal reporting by Reuven Fenton, Priscilla DeGregory and Kate Sheehy
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
0 comments:
Post a Comment