Justin Timberlake allegedly refused to take a breathalyzer test from a cop 'who didn’t recognize him' at the time he was arrested.
The pop singer, who also has an illustrious acting career, was pulled over by the police after he hopped in his car with his friends following a night of partying in New York on Monday night.
It is understood the 43-year-old was having a meal with friends at The American Hotel, in Sag Harbor, when they jumped in his grey BMW UT and began to drive off.
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Timberlake was only for driving a matter of minutes before the arresting officer signalled for him to pull over and subsequently took him into custody in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Timberlake was charged with failing to stay in a proper lane of travel, not stopping at a stop sign and driving while intoxicated (DWI).
While it is believed the arresting officer had no idea who the global icon was, Timberlake apparently refused to take a breathalyzer test but did take a field sobriety test.
According to a source who spoke with Page Six, the arresting officer 'didn’t recognize him or his name', adding: “His friends were telling the police, ‘Let him go, let him go.'”
While a second source that spoke to the publisher mentioned that Timberlake mumbled under his breath 'this is going to ruin the tour', and when the cop asked what tour, he replied ‘the world tour.'
They also claimed that Timberlake 'was a gentleman' and that 'he didn’t show any entitlement at all - he did refuse the tests, but that is his right'.
The singer's 'The Forget Tomorrow World Tour' began on 29 April, in Vancouver, and is scheduled to conclude on 20 December, in Kansas City.
So what is a DWI?
It's similar to the more commonly known DUI (driving under the influence), and OWI (operating while intoxicated), but differs between states.
Explaining the difference, one Reddit user said: "In some places, these terms might be used interchangeably, while in others, they could indicate different violations based on local laws.
"For example, in Texas a DUI applies to a person under age 21 who drives after consuming any alcohol, while a DWI is charged when a driver has a BAC [blood alcohol consumption rate] over 0.08%.
"Certain states, such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, and Indiana, opt for employing the term OWI instead of the widely used DUI when addressing the offense of driving under the influence of alcohol."
They continued: "Typically, OWI and DUI can be considered interchangeable terminologies used across various states to denote the same category of offenses related to drunk driving. Both terms essentially describe similar violations and carry comparable penalties in most cases."
UNILAD has contacted both Timberlake's lawyer and his publicist for comment.
Topics: Celebrity, Justin Timberlake, Music, Crime, New York, Police
Joe Yates