SAG HARBOR, N.Y. — Justin Timberlake is expected to plead guilty Friday following his June drunken driving arrest in the Hamptons.
The boy band singer turned solo star and actor will appear in Sag Harbor Village Court on Friday to formally enter the new plea, prosecutors said.
Details of the deal with prosecutors were not disclosed, but a person familiar with the deal said Timberlake agreed to plead guilty to a lesser offense of “driving while ability impaired,” a traffic violation that carries a fine of $300 to $500 and a 90-day license suspension.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to speak publicly about the deal until it was approved by a judge on Friday.
The pop star had pleaded not guilty to drunken driving and had his driving licence suspended during a hearing last month.
The office of Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, who is prosecuting the case, declined to comment before the hearing, as did Timberlake’s attorney, Edward Burke.
Timberlake was arrested in Sag Harbor, New York, just after midnight on June 18. Police said he violated a stop sign in the middle of the village, drifted out of his lane and exited his BMW smelling of alcohol.
Police also said in court documents that the 43-year-old Tennessee resident’s eyes were “red and glassy” and his “slurred speech,” he was unsteady on his feet and performed poorly on all intoxication tests.
Police said Timberlake told the officer he had a martini and was following some friends home.
Sag Harbor is a one-time whaling village mentioned in Herman Melville’s classic novel “Moby-Dick,” nestled among the Hamptons, an area of ​​seaside communities about 100 miles east of New York City.
A legal expert said this week that Timberlake’s license suspension in New York would likely affect his ability to drive in other states.
Refusing to take a Breathalyzer test, as Timberlake did during his arrest, automatically results in license suspension under New York state law, which should be applied in other states as well, according to Kenneth Gober, managing partner of the Austin, Texas-based law firm Lee, Gober & Reyna.
“Most states participate in the Interstate Driver License Agreement, which is an agreement to share information about license suspensions and traffic violations,” he explained in an email. “If a license is suspended in one state it must be suspended in all states.”
However, in practice, such changes across state lines could take a long time to show up, Gober acknowledged. He added that the pop star easily has the resources to arrange for a driver and doesn’t necessarily need a car to do his job.
Timberlake’s agent and other representatives did not respond to emails seeking comment this week.
The 10-time Grammy winner did not speak publicly about the arrest, but acknowledged it during a performance in Chicago a few days later.
“It’s been a tough week,” he told the audience during the June 21 show at the United Center. “But you’re here, and I’m here. Nothing can change this moment right now.”
Timberlake has been on tour for months in support of his latest album. He will return to New York City in the coming weeks with concerts in Newark, New Jersey and Brooklyn.
Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo.
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