SAG HARBOR, N.Y. — Justin Timberlake claimed he had just had “one martini” after he was stopped, failed a field sobriety test and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in the Hamptons area of Long Island early Tuesday, police said.
The pop superstar — identified in the criminal complaint as a 43-year-old from Franklin, Tennessee — was arrested and released without bail about nine hours after his arrest, police said.
According to the criminal complaint, Timberlake was driving a gray BMW with Florida license plates when he was stopped at 12:17 a.m. He was initially stopped for driving through a stop sign and failing to stay on the right side of the road.
But according to the complaint written by Sag Harbor Village police Officer Michael Arkinson, when police spoke with Timberlake he said it was obvious the motorist was in no condition to drive.
“It was determined that the defendant was driving while impaired, his eyes were red and glassy, his breath smelled strongly of an alcoholic beverage, he was unable to concentrate, his speech was slurred, he was unsteady on his feet, and he performed poorly on all standardized field intoxication tests,” Arkinson wrote.
“I drank a martini and followed my friends home,” the officer quoted Timberlake as saying.
He also refused to submit to a physical impairment test and reportedly told police, “No, I'm not taking any chemical tests.”
A source close to the musician said Timberlake had dined at The American Hotel in the Hamptons community of Sag Harbor “and was heading to a friend's house afterward when he was stopped by police.”
Timberlake will perform in Chicago on Friday and Saturday, and at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
His “The Forget Tomorrow World Tour” hits Miami on Saturday and Tampa on Friday.
Pei-Se Cheng and Adam Riess reported from Sag Harbor, New York, and David K. Lee and Brittany Kubiko reported from New York City.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.