According to a criminal complaint, Justin Timberlake was arrested in Sag Harbor, Long Island, on charges of driving under the influence (DWI) after he refused three times to submit to a chemical test after being stopped for a stop sign violation.
The complaint says an officer noticed this and pursued Timberlake, who was stopped after twice failing to stay on the right side of the road shortly before 1 a.m. Tuesday. The cop who stopped him says the so-called “Prince of Pop” appeared intoxicated, his eyes were red, glassy and he had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath.
“I drank a martini and followed my friends home,” Timberlake reportedly told authorities.
According to the complaint, Timberlake first failed to stop at a stop sign on Germain Avenue at Madison Street, then had trouble staying in the right lane several times on Madison.
The complaint states that Timberlake was unsteady and his speech was slurred; he also reportedly performed poorly on field sobriety tests. He was also said to be unable to concentrate while speaking to police while looking for his registration number.
Officers took him to the Sag Village Police Department for processing, where the complaint states he refused to submit to a chemical test for his blood-alcohol content three times over the course of about 40 minutes.
According to the complaint, Timberlake said, “No, I’m not taking any chemical tests.” The singer repeated twice, “I refuse.”
“The denial can be introduced at trial to establish conscious evidence of a crime,” said NBC News legal analyst Danny Cevallos. “It’s grounds for revocation of driving privileges.”
His body and dash cameras also captured the encounter, but the footage has not been released.
He was then taken to East Hampton Town Police Headquarters and held overnight before a hearing in the morning. After the hearing, Timberlake was released on his own recognizance.
Timberlake pleaded not guilty in court and was ordered to appear in court again on July 26, authorities said.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office had no further comment. Neither the singer nor his representatives could immediately be reached for comment.
Hamptons.com shared a video with NBC New York showing a gray BMW driving through Sag Harbor shortly before Timberlake’s arrest.
Hamptons.com released video of Justin Timberlake’s vehicle in Sag Harbor on Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday morning, Timberlake was seen leaving The American Hotel, a popular spot in Sag Harbor. Legendary singer Billy Joel was spotted there by an NBC News crew on Tuesday.
When Joel was asked about Timberlake’s encounter with the police, he said, “I don’t really know him that well, so I don’t have any comment.”
Joel said, “Don’t blame anyone or you will be blamed too.”
“I know when I go out and party, me and my friends take Uber,” said Sag Harbor resident Tony Delpino. “We take Lyft because if we’re drinking, we don’t take our cars. If you’re drinking, I’m not going to get in your car.”
“If you’re going to drink, don’t drive, especially for a celebrity,” said Sag Harbor resident Vanessa Lagarde. “They have the money to hire a driver. Why are you driving?”
The arrest comes during Timberlake’s first world tour in nearly six years. The pop icon is scheduled to perform at New York City’s Madison Square Garden next week on June 25 and 26.
Representatives from Madison Square Garden Entertainment deferred questions to Timberlake’s representatives.
