Britney Spears arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence
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Singer Britney Spears, the sole occupant of the vehicle, showed signs of impairment due to the influence of a combination of alcohol and drugs.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LOS ANGELES – American singer Britney Spears was arrested on March 4 in Ventura County, California, on suspicion of driving under the influence, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has confirmed to Reuters.
The CHP’s Ventura Communications Centre received a report at 8.48pm local time on that day of a black BMW travelling erratically at a high speed. Officers located the vehicle a short time later and initiated a traffic stop.
The CHP said Spears, the sole occupant of the vehicle, showed signs of impairment due to the influence of a combination of alcohol and drugs. It added that she underwent a series of field sobriety tests.
Spears, 44, was booked into the Ventura County Main Jail later that day.
In 2007, she was charged with one count of hit-and-run causing property damage and one count of driving without a valid California driving licence, both misdemeanours.
Spears regained control of her personal life and her money in 2021 when a judge ended a 13-year conservatorship that became a cause celebre for fans and critics of an arrangement typically meant to protect the elderly.
The pop star begged the court for months to terminate the conservatorship that had governed her personal life and US$60 million (S$102.2 million) estate since 2008.
The conservatorship was set up and overseen by her father Jamie Spears, after she had a public breakdown in 2007 and was hospitalised for undisclosed mental health issues.
Interest in the case was propelled in the past year by documentaries and the #FreeBritney movement of fans who questioned why the singer needed such restrictions while she was touring the world and earning millions of dollars. REUTERS
