VENTURA, Calif. (AP) — Britney Spears has pleaded guilty through her attorney to a reduced charge that will spare her from incarceration, following allegations by prosecutors that she drove under the influence of alcohol and drugs in Southern California. The 44-year-old pop star did not appear in Ventura County court on Monday. Instead, her lawyer, Michael A. Goldstein, entered the plea on her behalf to what is commonly referred to as a 'wet reckless.' This plea allows her to receive a sentence of one year of probation, mandatory participation in a DUI education program, and state-required fines.
Standard Plea Offer
The Ventura County District Attorney's Office stated that the plea offer was standard for defendants with no prior DUI history, no involvement in a crash or injury on the road, and a low blood-alcohol level. It is particularly common for individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to addressing their issues and seeking treatment, as Spears did when she voluntarily entered a substance abuse treatment facility in April.
Legal Proceedings
Spears was charged on Thursday with one misdemeanor DUI count, which meant her presence was not required at the arraignment. However, her representatives had not previously indicated whether she would attend, and the hearing attracted an unusually large media presence in Ventura, a coastal city of roughly 110,000 residents located about 70 miles (113 kilometers) northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
The singer resides in Ventura County, near the location of her arrest on March 4. At that time, a representative described her actions as inexcusable and expressed hope that the arrest would lead to overdue positive changes in her life. Neither Spears nor her representatives have commented since the charges were filed.
Arrest Details
According to the California Highway Patrol, Spears was pulled over for driving her black BMW at high speed and in an erratic manner on U.S. 101. Officers observed that she appeared impaired, administered a series of field sobriety tests, and subsequently arrested her. She was taken to jail.
Authorities noted in the criminal complaint that Spears had both alcohol and drugs in her system, but they did not specify the types of drugs or disclose her blood alcohol content.
