Justin Timberlake Pleads Guilty To Impaired Driving In New York

SAG HARBOR, N.Y. (AP) — Justin Timberlake urged drivers not to get behind the wheel of a car after even a single alcoholic drink on Friday, shortly after pleading guilty to driving while impaired in New York’s Hamptons earlier this year.

The public safety announcement in front of the Sag Harbor police department was part of the plea deal he struck with prosecutors to resolve the criminal case. He was also sentenced to a $500 fine with a $260 surcharge, 25 hours of community service at the nonprofit of his choosing and a 90-day suspension of his license.

The boy band singer-turned-solo star and actor appeared in the adjacent Sag Harbor Village Court to enter the guilty plea and expressed remorse for his actions.

“I try to hold myself to a very high standard, for myself, and this was not that,” Timberlake told the news media and other onlookers after the hearing.

“Even if you’ve had one drink, don’t get behind the wheel of a car,” he said. “There’s so many alternatives. Call a friend. Take an Uber. There’s many travel apps. Still, take a taxi. This is a mistake that I made, but I’m hoping that whoever is watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake. I know that I certainly have.”

He made similar comments during the court hearing and said he grew up in a small town and appreciated the kind of strain his arrest has made on Sag Harbor. He said he has had a lot of time to reflect on his actions.

Timberlake said he is “grateful for the opportunity to move forward” and use his platform to hopefully help others make “better decisions.“

“I should’ve had better judgment,” he said to the judge. “I understand the seriousness of this.”

Judge Carl Irace expressed disappointment with the proposed plea deal put forward by