Sag Harbor, New York, was the location of Justin Timberlake's detention on June 17, 2024, for DWI-related offenses. What is the status of the "Mirrors" singer, how long was he in custody, and has he publicly addressed the charges?
The Sag Harbor Police Department verified to TMZ that Justin was apprehended after dining with friends on June 17, 2024.
Justin's 2025 BMW failed to maintain its position on the right side of the road after it passed through a stop sign after he exited the American Hotel in Sag Harbor. Justin’s “eyes were bloodshot and glassy, a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath, he was unable to divide attention, he had slowed speech, he was unsteady afoot, and he performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests,” the criminal complaint read.
Justin failed his field sobriety tests and was found to be "operating the vehicle in an intoxicated condition" after declining to submit to a chemical test. Before his arraignment on June 18, 2024, he was "placed under arrest, processed, and held overnight" in jail.
Following his arraignment, the "Selfish" singer was captured in a photograph exiting the Sag Harbor municipal facility with his attorney, Edward Burke Jr. Justin was accused of one count of operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Furthermore, he was issued two citations for failure to maintain a lane and for running a stop sign.
On July 26, 2024, he is scheduled to appear in the Justice Court of Sag Harbor Village via virtual means.
Fortunately, there are no reports of any injuries sustained during the arrest. “Nobody was hurt,” on June 18, 2024, a source informed PEOPLE Magazine. “He will be arraigned in about an hour.”
In the state of New York, the term "DWI" (Driving While Intoxicated) is rigorously enforced. “Penalties include loss of driving privileges, fines, and possible jail time,” as per the New York State Unified Court System. “Any amount of alcohol will affect your judgment and coordination and will reduce your ability to safely operate a vehicle."
On June 19, 2024, the attorney for the "SexyBack" singer released a statement regarding the arrest. “[We] look forward to vigorously defending Mr. Timberlake against these allegations,” Burke stated in a statement to In Touch Weekly. “He will have a lot to say at the appropriate time.”
Burke further stated that their team is “currently awaiting full discovery from the DA’s office.”
Justin is presently the headliner of the "Forget Tomorrow World" tour, which is being conducted to promote his most recent album, "Everything I Thought It Was." He is scheduled to perform at the United Center in Chicago on June 22, 2024, and then at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 25 and June 26, 2024.
Justin disclosed his "tough week" to his followers during his concert at Chicago's United Center on June 21, 2024.
“We’ve been together through ups and downs and lefts and rights,”Justin stated in a clip that made rounds on X, formerly Twitter. “And uh, it’s been a tough week. And you’re here and I’m here and nothing can change this moment right now. I know sometimes I’m hard to love, but you keep on loving me and I love you right back. Thank you so much.”
Justin will depart for Europe to perform numerous concerts throughout the summer and into the autumn after concluding his performances in the United States on July 9, 2024. Justin is scheduled to perform at Barclay Center Brooklyn, New York, on Oct. 7, 2024, upon his return to the United States. The tour is anticipated to conclude on Dec. 20, 2024.
Nevertheless, it is uncertain whether his legal issues will affect the impending tour dates.
After the parody account, there were rumors that Justin was under the influence of narcotics during the arrest. The allegations were made by Poo Crave in an X post on June 18, 2024.
“Justin Timberlake allegedly had traces of molly, poppers, Truvada and coke in his bloodstream following his DWI arrest in New York,” the post was viewed. Nevertheless, a disclaimer from X clarified that the post was purely satirical and that no information had been reported regarding Justin's blood test since his arrest.
Justin was reportedly savoring a Vesper martini from the American Hotel's cocktail menu prior to operating his vehicle.
Lillet Blanc, Tanqueray gin, and Grey Goose vodka comprise the Vesper, a wine-based aperitif that is swirled over ice prior to serving.
“It’s all alcohol,” The Daily Beast was informed about the beverage by an insider. “There is no mixer.”
In the interim, Moody Mixologist, a cocktail blogger, asserts that the beverage is "not for the faint of heart" and contains a "whopping 4 ounces of liquor."
“It’s safe to say that the level of alcohol in this martini is equivalent to a double of just about any other cocktail,” the blog explained. “So please keep that in mind when mixing one up.”
An unnamed staff member at the American Hotel verified to People that he had only had "one drink" at the restaurant after he claimed he had only had one drink before his arrest. In the meantime, an additional staff member concurred and clarified that Justin could have obtained beverages from a different establishment prior to dining at the bar. “If he was drinking more, it wasn’t here,” the employee stated.
In September 2024, the singer achieved a significant victory in court. Justin consented to a plea agreement that resulted in the dismissal of his DWI charge. Instead, he entered a plea of guilty to a less serious traffic offense, Driving While Ability Impaired, as reported by TMZ on Sep. 11, 2024.
According to TMZ, the judge in the case was convinced to approve the agreement by Justin's lawyer, Burke, and prosecutors. The final details are expected to be disclosed during a court hearing in Sag Harbor, New York, later that week.
Additionally, Justin will be subject to a sanction that may vary from $300 to $500. Although the term "impaired" was employed in his plea agreement, it will not be classified as an intoxicated driving offense. Rather, it will be classified as a traffic infraction.
Burke emphasized that the "Can't Stop the Feeling!" singer would not be subjected to any differential treatment as a result of his celebrity status.
“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, you know, because of any perceived notoriety they may have, Burke disclosed to Page Six. “But we certainly don’t want to treat people worse for the same reason. So we’re taking pains to make sure that we’re treating this case like any other case of its kind.”
The "Cry Me a River" artist issued a public apology during a press conference following her court appearance, including a public service announcement regarding intoxicated driving, as stipulated in the plea agreement.
“So I don’t, I don’t know how many of you, were in the courtroom and heard what I had to say in the courtroom, but I’ll reiterate that and say this to you. Many of you have probably been covering me for a lot of my life. And as you may know, I try to hold myself to a very high standard for myself,” he informed the press. “And this was not that. I found myself in a position where I could have made a different decision, but I’ve had some time to reflect on that.”
“And I also understand by, you know, the fact that all of you are here, that I have a platform, you have a platform, we share that platform. And so what I like to say to everyone watching and listening, even if you’ve had one drink, don’t get behind the wheel of a car. There’s so many alternatives. Call a friend. Take an Uber. There’s many travel apps … take a taxi," Justin insisted.
Justin acknowledged that he had made a "mistake" and extended an apology to the small municipality of Sag Harbor. “I also said this in the courtroom before, but I grew up in a small town, so I can appreciate and understand the strain or unique nature that this must have been,” he concluded.
“But I just want to say to everyone who’s been involved, from everyone in the courtroom to everyone outside, including the police department, that I’m very grateful. And I thank them and, I guess in closing, I’d like to say we can all be more safe out there. And I’m going to do my part. I hope that everyone else does their part. And thank you very much," Justin went on.
