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Dubai: Britney Spears was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Ventura County, California on the evening of Wednesday March 4. The 44-year-old pop star was released from custody in the early hours of Thursday 5th March and is due to appear in court on May 4.
Why was she arrested
According to a press release from the California Highway Patrol, a black BMW 430i was reported to the CHP’s Ventura Communications Centre for “driving erratically at a high rate of speed.” Officers pulled the vehicle over and the solo occupant was identified as Spears.
She “showed signs of impairment and submitted to a series of field sobriety tests,” the CHP confirmed. She was then arrested for driving under the influence of a combination of drugs and alcohol and taken to a nearby hospital for a blood draw to determine her blood alcohol content. She did not sustain any injuries.
Spears was booked at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office at around 3am and released at approximately 6am under a cite and release process, meaning she was not held on bail or placed on probation. Chemical test results are still pending and the incident remains under investigation.
TMZ was the first outlet to report the arrest, with People magazine subsequently confirming the details through law enforcement sources.
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How is Britney doing now
Sources close to Spears told People that she was “very emotional and regretful this morning” following the arrest. TMZ also reported that she was “crying a lot” while being processed at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, though sources noted she did not act out of the ordinary beyond being visibly distressed.
Her representative issued a statement to People, saying: “This was an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable. Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life. Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time.”
The representative added: “Her boys are going to be spending time with her. Her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue needed plan to set her up for success for her wellbeing.”
Spears shares two sons with her ex-husband Kevin Federline. Sean Preston is 20 and Jayden James is 19.
Some context behind her state
This is not the first time Spears has faced legal difficulties involving driving. In 2007, she was charged with misdemeanours related to an alleged hit-and-run with a parked car in Los Angeles. Those charges were eventually dropped after she paid for the damages, and a separate driving without a licence charge ended in a mistrial.
That same year, Spears lost custody of her two sons following a difficult period that included several public incidents and concerns around substance use.
Her 13-year conservatorship, which gave her father legal control over her personal and financial affairs, was terminated in 2021. She has since written a memoir, sold her music catalogue, and has been living independently.
Shortly before this arrest, she was granted a permanent restraining order against a man who had shown up at her home after posting what were described as disturbing messages on social media.
Spears recently deleted her Instagram account. Her court date for the DUI charge is set for May 4.
Areeba Hashmi is a trainee at Gulf News.
