Pop singer Justin Timberlake appeared virtually before a judge on Friday and pleaded not guilty to a drunk driving charge, following which the judge ordered the suspension of his driving licence in New York state, US media reported.
On June 18, the 43-year-old entertainer was stopped in the city of Sag Harbor, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of New York City, after police noticed his BMW ran a stop sign and was struggling to stay in his lane of the road.
The officer who stopped the “Cry Me a River” singer said he was in no condition to drive.
“His eyes were red and glassy, he had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, he was unable to concentrate, his speech was slurred, he was unsteady on his feet, and he performed poorly on all standardized field intoxication tests,” the police report states.
Timberlake appeared via video link from Antwerp, Belgium, where he was on tour promoting his latest album.
During the hearing, Judge Carl Irace ordered that Timberlake’s license to drive in New York state be suspended, which the star’s attorney, Edward Burke, told reporters would continue for the duration of the case.
Burke again insisted that the “SexyBack” artist was not intoxicated when he was stopped, and that he had only had one martini before he was stopped.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Aug. 9. Timberlake is not required to attend.