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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Jacob Phillips

Justin Timberlake's arresting officer 'had no idea who the star was'

The officer who arrested Justin Timberlake for drink driving in a village in New York's Hamptons had no idea who the singer was when he took him into custody, a source has said.

The police officer “was so young that he didn't even know” who the 10-time Grammy winner was and “didn't recognise him or his name,” a source told Page Six on Tuesday.

The 43-year-old whispered “this going to ruin the tour” during the arrest, a separate source told the celebrity news site.

When pressed on what tour he was talking about, Timberlake said “the world tour,” according to the source.

Timberlake was charged early Tuesday with drunken driving after police said he ran a stop sign and veered out of his lane in the posh seaside summer retreat.

Police says Justin Timberlake was arrested for driving while intoxicated (PA Wire)

The boy band singer-turned-solo star and actor was driving a 2025 BMW in Sag Harbor around 12.30am when an officer stopped him and determined he was intoxicated, according to a court document.

"His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, a strong odour 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 standardised field sobriety tests," the court papers said.

Timberlake told the officer he had one martini and was following some friends home, according to the documents.

After being arrested and taken to a police station in nearby East Hampton, he refused a breath test, said the court papers, which listed his occupation as "professional" and said he's "self-employed."

The Grammy winner was released without bond later on Tuesday morning after being arraigned in Sag Harbor.

He was charged with a driving-while-intoxicated misdemeanor, and his next court date was scheduled for July 26, the Suffolk County district attorney's office said.

Edward Burke Jr., a local lawyer representing Timberlake, declined to comment on Tuesday other than to confirm the star doesn't need to appear in person for his next court date. Timberlake's California-based representatives didn't return multiple requests for comment on Tuesday.

A young Timberlake began performing as a Disney Mouseketeer, where his castmates included future girlfriend Britney Spears (he's now married to actress Jessica Biel). He rose to fame in the behemoth boy band NSYNC, embarked on a solo recording career in 2002 and was one of pop's most influential figures in the early 2000s.

He's known for such Grammy-winning hits as "Cry Me A River," "SexyBack," "What Goes Around...Comes Around" and "Can't Stop The Feeling!"

He has performed at Super Bowl halftime shows multiple times, including the infamous 2004 "wardrobe malfunction" moment when he ripped off a piece of Janet Jackson's clothing and revealed her bare nipple.

Timberlake also built an acting career, garnering acclaim in movies including "The Social Network" and "Friends With Benefits" and winning four Primetime Emmy Awards.

Timberlake has two upcoming shows in Chicago on Friday and Saturday, then is scheduled for New York's Madison Square Garden on June 25 and 26.

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