Britney Spears charged with driving under influence following arrest

Britney Spears has been charged with driving under the influence in California following an arrest in March, according to prosecutors.

The 44-year-old singer faces a single misdemeanour count of driving under the combined influence of alcohol and at least one drug, a district attorney’s office confirmed. The charge relates to an incident on 4 March, when she was stopped by the California Highway Patrol near her home.

Officers said Spears was pulled over after allegedly driving her black BMW at speed and in an erratic manner. She was arrested at the scene and taken to a Ventura County jail after undergoing a series of field sobriety tests, during which she appeared to be impaired.

Prosecutors indicated that Spears may be offered the option to plead guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving involving alcohol or drugs. Such resolutions are commonly considered in cases where a defendant shows willingness to seek treatment.

She will not have to attend a court hearing scheduled for Monday and her lawyers can instead appear on her behalf.

A representative for the singer said earlier this month that she had voluntarily checked into a rehabilitation facility. In a statement, they described the incident as “completely inexcusable” and said Spears intended to comply with the law.

Britney Spears had been under a conservatorship that controlled many of her personal and financial decisions until a judge ended the arrangement in 2021.