American pop star Britney Spears was arrested in Ventura County, California, on suspicion of drunk driving.
This was reported by Reuters with reference to the California Highway Patrol.
According to the police, the incident occurred on March 5. Law enforcement officers suspect the singer of driving under the influence (DUI).
A representative of Britney Spears has not yet responded to a request for comment.
According to Forbes, the 44-year-old Spears has had several previous encounters with law enforcement. In August 2007, she crashed her car into another vehicle in a Los Angeles parking lot and left the scene without exchanging information, which led to charges of fleeing the scene of an accident, as well as additional charges of driving without a valid California driver’s license. The charges were later dropped after she compensated the other driver for the damage, but the incident likely contributed to her losing custody of her children with Kevin Federline.
Also in 2023, California Highway Patrol officers stopped Spears several times for traffic violations, including speeding and lane crossing. She was also charged with driving without a license and without proof of insurance, but she paid those fines. In body camera footage released at the time, Spears can be heard telling the officer, “I’m so, so sorry, please forgive me,” to which he replies, “I gave you a pass last time.”
Last year, Spears received a warning after lighting a cigarette and consuming alcohol on a charter flight, which violates federal aviation regulations. No charges were filed against her at that time.
The incident on March 5 appears to be the first time Spears has been formally arrested and placed in a temporary detention facility.