Justin Timberlake Told Cop Who Didn’t Recognize Him That DWI Arrest Would ‘Ruin’ World Tour: Report
Justin Timberlake was reportedly worried about what his DWI arrest would mean for his international tour — but the police officer who pulled him over and arrested him had no idea what the singer was talking about.
Justin, 43, made headlines when he was arrested for driving under the influence in Sag Harbor, New York, early on Tuesday, June 18. A source told Page Six that the Sag Harbor Police Department cop who pulled the “Cry Me a River” hitmaker over was “so young that he didn’t even know” who Justin was.
“He didn’t recognize him or his name,” the insider said.
Another insider told the publication, “Justin said under his breath, ‘This is going to ruin the tour.’ The cop replied, ‘What tour?’ Justin said, ‘The world tour.'”
Justin embarked on his Forget Tomorrow world tour to promote his latest album, Everything I Thought It Was, in late April. He was on a break following his latest show in Miami, Florida, on June 15 when his arrest occurred. His next concerts are scheduled for Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22, in Chicago, followed by two shows in New York City on June 25 and June 26. It’s unclear at this time if his legal troubles will impact future tour dates.
The “Mirrors” singer had been out to dinner with friends at the American Hotel before his arrest, according to multiple reports. He drove his 2025 BMW through a stop sign and the vehicle failed “to keep on the right side of the roadway,” according to the criminal complaint.
The officer at the scene noted in his report that 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.” His mugshot, which was released on Tuesday, showed the Grammy winner’s red and glassy eyes.
Justin refused to take a breathalyzer test after failing his field sobriety tests. It was determined that he was “operating the vehicle in an intoxicated condition,” and the singer was “placed under arrest, processed and held overnight” in jail before his arraignment on Tuesday.
Justin was charged with one count of driving while intoxicated and received citations for running a stop sign and failing to keep in lane. The actor was released on his own recognizance without bail and accompanied by his attorney, Edward Burke Jr. The two were photographed leaving the Sag Harbor municipal building after Justin’s arraignment.
Justin is set to make a virtual appearance in Sag Harbor Village’s Justice Court on July 26.
“[We] look forward to vigorously defending Mr. Timberlake against these allegations,” Burke Jr. said in a statement to In Touch on Wednesday, June 19. “He will have a lot to say at the appropriate time.”
The attorney added that their team is “currently awaiting full discovery from the DA’s office.”
Justin has gotten candid in the past about his drug and alcohol use. In 2006, he told Observer Music Monthly that he had “done way too many drugs already.”
“I've already inhaled and I've already ... who knows?” he said. “I'm just like everyone else, I get completely plastered, I've done my fair share of drugs and I've been caught places with my pants down. It's just I make sure there are no cameras around.”
