In the early morning hours of June 18, Justin Timberlake was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated in Sag Harbor, a coastal village in the Hamptons, approximately 100 miles from New York City. According to documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Timberlake was pulled over after failing to stop at a stop sign and failing to stay in his lane on Madison Street.
The arresting officer reported that Timberlake performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests, exhibited signs of intoxication such as bloodshot and glossy eyes, a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, slowed speech, and unsteady footing. Timberlake, 43, admitted to the officer that he had consumed one martini and was following friends home.
Legal Proceedings
Timberlake was arraigned on Tuesday morning in Sag Harbor. The Suffolk County district attorney’s office confirmed that Timberlake was charged with one count of driving while intoxicated, along with citations for failure to keep right and failure to stop at a stop sign. He is scheduled to appear virtually for his first court hearing on July 26. A spokesperson for the DA’s office stated, “At this time, we have no further comment.”
Timberlake’s lawyer, Ed Burke, has also refrained from commenting on the case.
When taken to a police station in nearby East Hampton, Timberlake refused to submit to a breathalyzer test, which could complicate his legal proceedings. Legal experts have noted that refusal to take a breathalyzer test typically triggers an automatic suspension of the driver’s license under implied consent laws, which state that drivers implicitly consent to sobriety tests when they obtain their licenses.
Tray Gober, a Texas trial attorney specializing in DWI cases, explained that refusing a breathalyzer test can be a double-edged sword. While it might prevent providing concrete evidence of intoxication, it can also lead to statutory penalties and negative inferences by a jury or judge. “Traditionally, most criminal defense lawyers would give the blanket advice of refusing to take a breathalyzer test, but now the advice from criminal defense lawyers seems to be split on whether it is better to voluntarily submit or not,” Gober said.
Legal Expert Opinions
Michel Huff, a celebrity criminal defense lawyer, suggested that Timberlake’s refusal to take the breathalyzer test was a strategic move to preserve his legal defense. Huff explained that submitting to field sobriety tests and breathalyzers provides investigators with evidence that might otherwise not be available. He emphasized that Timberlake’s legal team will have room to argue and present a full defense strategy based on other possible factors that may have caused his appearance of impairment.
“His license may be temporarily suspended, however, but would be reinstated if the charges are dropped or reduced. Justin Timberlake made a smart choice to safeguard his constitutional rights to Due Process under the law,” Huff added.
