The California Highway Patrol arrested Britney Spears for DUI after driving erratically on Wednesday night. Officers observed Spears speeding and swerving before her arrest, according to 911 dispatch audio.
The chase began when an officer spotted a black 2026 BMW convertible speeding and weaving in and out of lanes on Highway 101 in Ventura County at around 8:13 p.m.
911 dispatch audio of the pursuit of Britney Spears
A police officer on the dispatch call says, “A black sedan, erratic braking, swerving and driving with no taillight.” He then requests that the dispatcher “send all units down towards this area, please.”
Police units can be heard responding to the call and describing its location. After about an hour of pursuing her, the officer finally pulled Britney Spears over.
“Talking with the driver,” an officer can be heard saying. “Driver is out of the vehicle.”
One officer requested a DRE (Drug Recognition Expert) to determine whether Spears was intoxicated; a DRE has received specialized training from the California Highway Patrol. The recording captures another cop attempting to get the DRE to the site as soon as possible.
Police booked Britney Spears into jail and later released her
Paramedics eventually took Britney Spears to a hospital, where medical staff took her blood. It’s unclear if police conducted a field sobriety test prior to officers taking her into custody at around 9:30 p.m. Authorities booked her into jail at 3:02 a.m. and released her at 6:07 a.m. Page Six obtained photos of the car the singer was driving in the tow yard on Thursday morning.
A representative for the singer released a statement to the Daily Mail, which read: “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 the long-overdue changes that need to occur in her life.
“Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time. Her boys are going to be spending time with her, and her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue plan to set her up for success and well-being.”