Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177794540992717775909306341777591098575.webp" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div>US singer Britney Spears arrives for the premiere of Sony Pictures&#x27; &quot;Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood&quot; at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California on July 22, 2019. Valerie Macon, AFP/File<div> </div>Troubled pop princess Britney Spears on Monday admitted to <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/5/1/britney-spears-formally-charged-with-dui-in-california-0716">reckless driving involving alcohol, </a>in a plea deal that means she will avoid jail.The &quot;Toxic&quot; singer was arrested in March after police spotted her driving erratically on a freeway in Ventura County, near Los Angeles.She was initially charged with DUI -- driving under the influence -- but under the plea deal confirmed Monday she admitted to a lesser charge of reckless driving involving alcohol, drugs or both.A court in Ventura sentenced the 44-year-old to 12 months&#x27; probation, her lawyer Michael Goldstein said.&quot;She&#x27;s going to do well, and we all root for Britney,&quot; Goldstein told reporters.&quot;I don&#x27;t think anybody&#x27;s happy about pleading guilty to anything, but under the circumstances and to get this behind her, I think everybody is pleased with the result.&quot;We appreciate the district attorney recognizing the positive steps that Britney has taken to help herself.&quot;As part of the plea deal, Spears must complete a substance abuse program and meet with mental health professionals.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/4/13/britney-spears-checks-into-rehab-following-dui-arrest-media-1725">Britney Spears checks into rehab following DUI arrest: media</a></div>Prosecutors have given no details on the substances allegedly in her system at the time of arrest, and her lawyer declined to comment.Judge Matthew Nemerson ordered that Spears must have a valid prescription for any drugs in her possession.The singer&#x27;s representatives told US media after her arrest that she had voluntarily checked in to a rehab facility.Goldstein refused to confirm if the star was still in the facility, telling AFP only that she was &quot;in Los Angeles.&quot; Spears&#x27; home is over the county line in Ventura.&quot;She is surrounded by an amazing team that cares about her,&quot; he added.Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said the reduced charge and resulting agreement were consistent with standard prosecutorial practice in cases involving defendants with no prior DUI history, a low blood alcohol level, and no collision or injuries.He said her cooperation, early plea and willingness to address underlying issues were important.&quot;Our goal is not only to hold individuals accountable, but to support long-term behavioral change through treatment and rehabilitation,&quot; he said in a statement.&quot;The court has put those conditions in place. It is now up to Ms. Spears to follow them.&quot;Monday&#x27;s hearing is the latest step on a rocky road for a woman who once dominated pop.Spears had phenomenal early music success in the late 1990s with hits like &quot;...Baby One More Time&quot; but has largely stepped back from music in recent years.Following a public breakdown in 2007, Spears was placed under the conservatorship of her father <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/08/13/21/jamie-spears-agrees-to-relinquish-control-over-britney">Jamie Spears</a>, who controlled her money and her personal life, even as she continued to perform high-profile concerts.The conservatorship was dissolved by a Los Angeles court in 2021, after a groundswell of public support to<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/06/24/21/britney-spears-tells-judge-i-just-want-my-life-back-and-to-end-conservatorship"> &quot;Free Britney.&quot;</a>In her 2023 memoir <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/10/24/23/toxic-britney-spears-tells-of-troubles-in-new-memoir">&quot;The Woman in Me,&quot;</a> Spears insisted she never did hard drugs and that she did not have a drinking problem, but she admitted that she was taking Adderall, the ADHD medication.

Troubled pop princess Britney Spears on Monday admitted to reckless driving involving alcohol, in a plea deal that means she will avoid jail.

Troubled pop princess Britney Spears on Monday admitted to reckless driving involving alcohol, in a plea deal that means she will avoid jail.

Britney Spears admits reckless driving in plea deal

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Celebrities

Britney Spears admits reckless driving in plea deal

Agence France-Presse

Published May 05, 2026 09:48 AM PHT

Read More:

Britney Spears

DUI

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.