American singer Justin Timberlake’s driving license has been suspended in New York following his plea of not guilty to a charge of driving while intoxicated.
According to BBC, the pop star, aged 43, was arrested on June 18 for running a stop sign and not staying on the correct side of the road.
Timberlake, currently on tour in Europe, appeared virtually from there as he faced formal charges in Sag Harbor, New York.
Sag Harbor Village Justice Carl Irace suspended his driving license indefinitely, a standard procedure after a DWI arrest.
Timberlake’s lawyer maintains that the singer was not under the influence while driving and argues that the charges should be dropped.
During the virtual court session, Timberlake, dressed in a black-collared shirt, answered “yes” to the judge’s questions.
He joined the hearing from Germany, where he is preparing for a performance in Antwerp, Belgium, this weekend.
Timberlake missed his initial court date last week due to his ongoing world tour, “Everything I Thought It Was.”
The actor and singer was stopped just after midnight in Sag Harbor, a well-known summer spot for celebrities in the Hamptons on Long Island.
According to the charging document, Timberlake’s eyes appeared “bloodshot and glassy,” and officers detected a “strong odour of an alcoholic beverage” on his breath.
He declined a breathalyser test and did not perform well on sobriety tests, police reported.
“I had one martini and I followed my friends home,” Timberlake allegedly told the officer who pulled him over.
In Friday’s hearing, Judge Irace admonished Timberlake’s lawyer, Edward Burke, for making “irresponsible” statements to the media outside the courtroom, warning of a possible gag order if such comments continued. “It comes off as an attempt to poison the case before it even begins,” Judge Irace remarked.
Last week, Burke told reporters that the police had committed “a number of very significant errors,” asserting, “The most important fact to know about this case is that Justin was not intoxicated and should not have been arrested for DWI.”
New York penalties for DWI charges include up to a year in jail, a $1,000 fine, and a minimum six-month license suspension.
Timberlake, who has previously been candid about his struggles with excessive drinking, addressed the arrest at a performance in Chicago, telling the audience, “It’s been a tough week.”
