Justin Timberlake was forced to issue a court-ordered apology on Friday following his plea deal in the drinking under influence (DWI) case. Speaking to reporters outside the Sag Harbor courthouse, Timberlake urged, “Even if you’ve had one drink, don’t get behind the wheel of a car. There are so many alternatives — call a friend, take an Uber, there’s many travel apps, take a taxi.”
“This is a mistake that I made, but I’m hoping that whoever is watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake. I know that I certainly have.”
On June 18 Timberlake was pulled over shortly after midnight for running a stop sign and swerving between lanes, after leaving the American Hotel. He was then booked for one count of DWI and received additional citations.
Timberlake later claimed he had only one martini and his lawyer, Edward Burke Jr. Burke argued that Timberlake was “not intoxicated” and accused Sag Harbour the police.
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What’s the difference between DWAI and DWI?
Earlier that court preceding day, Timberlake formally pleaded guilty to driving while ability impaired (DWAI), a lesser offence than the original driving while intoxicated (DWI) charge.
As noted by legal experts, lies in the level of intoxication, with DWAI indicating a lower blood alcohol concentration than DWI.
The 43-year-old singer was ordered to pay a $500 fine following the plea deal, complete 25 hours of community service at a nonprofit organization, and appear in a public service announcement about the dangers of drunk driving.
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Timberlake arrived at the courthouse dressed in brown trousers, a black T-shirt, and a matching cardigan. “I’ve had a lot of time to reflect,” Timberlake told the judge.
“I was filled with disappointment in myself and know I did not live up to the standard I hold myself to. I understand and appreciate the seriousness of this.”
Apologizing for the strain he had placed on the small town of Sag Harbor in the Hamptons. “I just want to take a moment to show gratitude to everybody involved,” he said.
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Following Timberlake’s plea deal, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney told Page Six, “The one thing that we want to make sure we’re doing is … being consistent, and we don’t want to treat any defendant better than others because of … any perceived notoriety they may have.”
