Ventura (United States) (AFP) – Troubled pop princess Britney Spears on Monday admitted to reckless driving involving alcohol, in a plea deal that means she will avoid jail. The “Toxic” singer was arrested in March after police spotted her driving erratically on a freeway in Ventura County, near Los Angeles. She was initially charged with DUI — driving under the influence — but under the plea deal confirmed Monday, she admitted to a lesser charge of reckless driving involving alcohol, drugs, or both.
A court in Ventura sentenced the 44-year-old to 12 months’ probation, her lawyer Michael Goldstein said. “She’s going to do well, and we all root for Britney,” Goldstein told reporters. “I don’t think anybody’s happy about pleading guilty to anything, but under the circumstances and to get this behind her, I think everybody is pleased with the result. We appreciate the district attorney recognizing the positive steps that Britney has taken to help herself.”
As part of the plea deal, Spears must complete a substance abuse program and meet with mental health professionals. Prosecutors have given no details on the substances allegedly in her system at the time of the arrest, and her lawyer declined to comment. Judge Matthew Nemerson ordered that Spears must have a valid prescription for any drugs in her possession.
The singer’s representatives told US media after her arrest that she had voluntarily checked in to a rehab facility. Goldstein refused to confirm if the star was still in the facility, telling AFP only that she was “in Los Angeles.” Spears’ home is over the county line in Ventura. “She is surrounded by an amazing team that cares about her,” he added.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said the reduced charge and resulting agreement were consistent with standard prosecutorial practice in cases involving defendants with no prior DUI history, a low blood alcohol level, and no collision or injuries. He said her cooperation, early plea, and willingness to address underlying issues were important. “Our goal is not only to hold individuals accountable, but to support long-term behavioral change through treatment and rehabilitation,” he said in a statement. “The court has put those conditions in place. It is now up to Ms. Spears to follow them.”
Monday’s hearing is the latest step on a rocky road for a woman who once dominated pop. Spears had phenomenal early music success in the late 1990s with hits like “…Baby One More Time” but has largely stepped back from music in recent years. Following a public breakdown in 2007, Spears was placed under the conservatorship of her father Jamie Spears, who controlled her money and her personal life, even as she continued to perform high-profile concerts. The conservatorship was dissolved by a Los Angeles court in 2021, after a groundswell of public support to “Free Britney.” In her 2023 memoir “The Woman in Me,” Spears insisted she never did hard drugs and that she did not have a drinking problem, but she admitted that she was taking Adderall, the ADHD medication.
© 2024 AFP
