SAG HARBOR, NY — Justin Timberlake commented after taking an agreement in his drunk driving case on Long Island.

Timberlake, 43, appeared in court in Sag Harbor on Friday and pleaded guilty to driving while impaired (DWAI), a lesser traffic violation. The charges against him were dropped.

The deal included a $500 fine plus a $260 surcharge and 25 hours of community service at a nonprofit of his choosing. Timberlake has one year to complete the community service. The deal also required Timberlake to make a public safety statement, which he did immediately after his court appearance.

The judge was initially dissatisfied with the terms of the plea, described the sentence as minimal and asked Timberlake if he would also be willing to do 25 hours of community service, which Timberlake agreed to do.

Camera crews surrounded Timberlake as he entered the courtroom Friday morning, and a large crowd gathered outside the courthouse to await his testimony.

“I could have decided differently”

Timberlake spoke outside court after the hearing on Friday.

“Many of you have probably been with me for much of my life, and as you may know, I try to set very high standards for myself. And that wasn’t the case. I found myself in a situation where I could have made a different decision,” Timberlake said.

Timberlake said he had time to think about the matter.

“And so I want to say to everyone watching and listening: Don’t get behind the wheel of a car, even if you’ve only had one drink,” Timberlake added. “There are so many alternatives. Call a friend. Take an Uber. There are lots of travel apps. Take a cab anyway. That’s a mistake I made, but I hope that everyone watching and listening right now can learn from that mistake. I know I certainly did. And like I said, don’t get behind the wheel of a car, even if you’ve only had one drink.”

Timberlake thanked the people of Sag Harbor for putting up with all the attention the town receives.

“We can all be safer out there, and I’m going to do my part. I hope everyone else does their part,” Timberlake said.

Timberlake’s attorney said he was pleased with the reduced charges and denied all reports that Timberlake was drunk when he was arrested.

“The evidence established that my client drank the contents of one drink in a two-hour period at the American Hotel,” said attorney Edward Burke. “And contrary to what has been reported, he did not drink other people’s drinks, nor did he warn in advance not to drive. He was not rude. He was not obnoxious. He was not belligerent. In fact, he was polite, he was cooperative, and he was respectful throughout his encounter with the police officers, just as they were respectful to him.”

“Today, Mr. Timberlake pleaded guilty and accepted responsibility for driving while under the influence. We appreciate his willingness to hold himself accountable for his conduct and use his platform to raise public awareness of the dangers of driving while under the influence. As previously stated, Mr. Timberlake was treated the same as any other defendant. Justice should be served equally to all people, regardless of their wealth or celebrity status. Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is an extremely serious public safety issue across the country,” said District Attorney Ray Tierney. “These drivers threaten the lives of random and innocent road users of all ages, genders, ethnicities and economic status. In 2024, with the prevalence and convenience of public transit and rideshare, there is no excuse to get behind the wheel while impaired in any way.”

The family of Boy Scout Andrew McMorris, who was killed by a drunk driver on Long Island in 2018was in the courtroom.

“I think he was sincere and I can only hope that his appearance here will make a significant difference to everyone,” said mother Alisa McMorris.

Justin Timberlake arrested for drunk driving in Sag Harbor

On 18 June Timberlake was stopped in the Hamptons village after allegedly ignoring a stop sign and failing to stay on the right side of the road.

According to court documents, the arresting officer said he smelled alcohol on Timberlake’s breath and that the pop star had bloodshot eyes, “performed poorly” on sobriety tests and refused a breath test. Timberlake He allegedly told the officer that he had drunk a martini earlier that evening.

Timberlake was arrested and charged with drunken driving. He was released on bail after his arraignment that morning.

Timberlake appeared virtually in court on August 2 and pleaded not guiltyAt the hearing, a Sag Harbor judge revoked his New York driver’s license, a common practice in the state in drunk driving cases. Timberlake was in Germany at the time. his world tour.

The next stop on Timberlake’s tour is the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on September 28. He will then play the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on October 7 before returning to the Prudential Center on October 8.