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The story of Justin Timberlake’s arrest in Sag Harbor has deepened, as reports indicate that police were tipped off about the pop star allegedly driving while intoxicated prior to his June arrest.
Justin Timberlake, 43 years old, was arrested and taken into custody by police around 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 18, in Sag Harbor, New York, an upscale port town on the Eastern side of Long Island.
In the days following Timberlake’s arrest, it was reported that the arresting officer, Michael Arkinson, did not recognize Timberlake and is known around Sag Harbor for being a strict enforcer of rules, particularly traffic laws.
New reporting indicates that Arkinson didn’t just happen on Timberlake by chance, however, as the New York Post reports police were tipped off about Timberlake’s alleged DWI by a concerned citizen in the area.
“Someone at the swanky Hamptons hotel where Justin Timberlake was before his DWI arrest called cops because they were concerned he would get behind the wheel, a local eatery owner says.”
“‘[They] said Justin was having a lot of drinks, and they told the cop to watch him if he is going to drive,’ said the well-connected Southampton restaurateur, who did not want to be identified.”
According to official court documents — Timberlake appeared before a judge around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 18 — the former NSYNC frontman had “bloodshot and glassy [eyes], a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, and slowed speech.”
Furthermore, Timberlake allegedly was unbalanced when standing and performed “poorly” on all of the usual field sobriety tests that police officers administer. Timberlake did not, however, agree to a breathalyzer test at the scene.
“The charge was a single count because he refused the breath test. Mr. Timberlake was also charged with two other court citations, running a stop sign and not traveling in the correct traffic lane,” said in his initial statement following the arrest.
Despite the arrest, Timberlake kicked off his The Forget The World Tomorrow tour in Chicago on Friday, June 21. Earlier this year, Timberlake released his fifth solo studio album, Everything I Thought It Was.
Timberlake’s tour has not only gotten more publicity due to the arrest, however, but also due to the meme it spawned, as sources told The Post that JT and the officer had an exchange that saw Timberlake bemoaning that his arrest was going to “ruin the tour.” When Arkinson asked what tour, Timberlake allegedly replied “The world tour…”.