Teen sensation Justin Bieber was arrested early on the morning of January 23rd for drunk driving and drag racing, among other charges. Bieber, 19, has been a top-selling pop artist since landing on the American music scene in 2008. Police officers spotted Bieber drag racing in a Miami Beach residential neighborhood. Police say that Bieber’s entourage, including his father, Jeremy Bieber, was blocking the neighborhood street with SUVs to give the star and a competitor room to race rented Lamborghinis.
When police pulled the drivers over, Bieber allegedly became very combative and cursed at the officers multiple times. According to the police report, the arresting officer “immediately smelled an odor of alcohol” when he approached the vehicle. The police report also states that the teen star was acting inebriated and appeared to have bloodshot eyes, indicative of being under the influence. The report goes on to claim that Bieber resisted arrest by refusing to comply when an officer told him to leave his hands on the police cruiser during a weapons pat down. During the arrest, Bieber admitted to having used alcohol as well as prescription drugs and marijuana before climbing behind the wheel.
After failing the in-field sobriety test, Bieber submitted to a breath test at a police station. According to reports, his blood alcohol content (BAC) level was below the legal limit of 0.08 percent (reports range stating his BAC was anywhere between 0.01 and 0.04 percent). However, since Bieber is under the age of 21, it does not matter that his BAC was not to the legal limit of 0.08 percent. Florida law states that any driver under 21-years-old can be charged with a DUI if the driver has a BAC of as little as 0.02 percent. After being formally charged with a DUI, resisting arrest, and driving with a suspended license, Bieber was released later Thursday on a bond of $2,500.
The penalty for a first offense DUI in Florida is an automatic six-month driver’s license suspension, a fine between $250 and $500, and 50 hours of community service, with the possibility of up to six months in jail. Though the teen idol is in the US on a visa (he is Canadian), it is unlikely his immigration status will be affected by the charges.
This is not the first time Bieber has had a run in with the law. Neighbors have previously complained to police about his excessively loud parties and reckless driving. Most recently, a neighbor to Bieber’s Los Angeles home accused the singer of throwing eggs at the residence, causing tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage. That incident led to a search warrant of the star’s home to uncover any evidence of the vandalism. The detectives who executed that search warrant eventually arrested a guest at the home on drug charges, though Bieber himself was not detained or arrested.
Justin Bieber’s next court date is January 27th. His lawyer, Roy Black, will likely seek a diversionary program as opposed to a criminal prosecution. Florida diversion programs allow some misdemeanor offenders to avoid formal prosecution and instead undergo a month-long supervision program that can include alcohol and drug treatment, and therapy.
To learn more on Justin’s sentencing, click here.
DISCLAIMER: The exclusive purpose of this article is educational and it is not intended as either legal advice or a general solution to any specific legal problem. Corporate offices for Nave DWI Defense Attorneys are located at 432 N. Franklin Street, Suite 80, Syracuse, NY 13204; Telephone No.: 1-866-792-7800. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney Advertising.
