Britney Spears will avoid jail time after she agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge following her arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.
A lawyer for the 44-year-old singer appeared in court on Monday and pleaded guilty to reckless driving involving alcohol or drugs.
Spears was not required to attend the hearing.
Authorities said she was arrested on March 4th on a southern California highway after driving her BMW “erratically at a high rate of speed.”
Spears reportedly checked herself into a rehabilitation facility afterward, and her representatives have called the incident “completely inexcusable.”
Her lawyer, Michael Goldstein, said in a statement that through her plea today, Spears has accepted responsibility for her conduct.
He added that she has taken significant steps to implement positive change, which is clearly reflected in the Ventura County District Attorney’s decision to reduce the charge in this case and dismiss the DUI.
On her behalf, Goldstein agreed to plead guilty to a “wet reckless” charge.
She will face 12 months’ probation and must complete a DUI (driving under the influence) class, as well as pay fines and fees.
According to the county’s district attorney’s office, this is standard protocol for defendants with no DUI history, no crash or injury, and a low blood-alcohol level.
Spears, one of the most successful pop stars in the world, rose to fame at a young age.
Her hits such as “Baby One More Time,” “Toxic,” “Everytime,” “Gimme More,” “Womanizer,” and “Stronger” topped charts.
For 13 years until 2021, Spears was in a conservatorship – a legal guardianship under which her finances and personal life were controlled by her father.
Source: BBC
