Justin Timberlake to plead guilty to lesser charge in drunken driving case

Justin Timberlake, who faced drunken-driving charges after an erratic drive in the Hamptons led to his arrest, is expected to plead guilty to a lesser offense, according to the Suffolk County district attorney’s office.

A spokesperson for the office said that Timberlake, 43, is expected to enter the plea when he appears in person at the Sag Harbor Village Justice Court on Long Island on Friday. She did not say what the lesser charge would be.

Timberlake’s lawyer declined to comment on the plea deal.

The singer was arrested in mid-June when police officers saw a gray 2025 BMW move out of one lane and drive through a stop sign, according to an arrest report. After being pulled over on a residential street lined with upscale mansions and cozy cottages, Timberlake was found with “bloodshot and glassy” eyes and a strong stench of alcohol on his breath, the report said.

He was put through several sobriety tests, such as standing on one leg and walking in a straight line, which he performed “poorly,” the report said. He told the officers that he had one martini and was following his friends home, the report added.

Timberlake was then arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated.

The singer inspired a bit of a frenzy in the small beach town at a court date in August. Paparazzi, cameras and fans flocked to the Main Street court trying to catch a glimpse of him, but Timberlake made a somber appearance on video from Europe.

Timberlake, who was in the midst of a world concert tour, initially pleaded not guilty and faced a fine of up to $1,000 or jail time. His lawyer tried to have the case thrown out, objecting to how the initial paperwork was filed. But prosecutors simply refiled the documents and arraigned him again.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.