Bruce Springsteen pleaded guilty to one of three charges stemming from his November 2020 DWI arrest on Wednesday.
Springsteen, alongside his attorney Mitchell J. Ansell wearing a light shirt and a dark sweater and blazer, appeared in a virtual United States District Court of New Jersey hearing held over Zoom before United States Magistrate Judge Anthony R. Mautone. The musician, who is 71, consented to video conferencing in the case due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Springsteen pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol in a closed area. The government then proposed the dismissal of the additional two charges of operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and reckless driving which the judge approved.
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Bruce Springsteen pleaded guilty to one of three charges stemming from his November 2020 DWI arrest on Wednesday. (AP)
"I am going to impose nothing but a fine because I think that is an appropriate disposition of this case," Mautone said.
Springsteen will now have to pay a $500 fine plus an additional $40 fee. The judge gave him a week to make the payment.
"I think I can pay that immediately, your Honor," Springsteen responded.
Springsteen's attorney released a statement shortly after the hearing to express his pleasure with the outcome.
"Mr. Springsteen is pleased with the outcome of today’s court appearance. The prosecutor was unable to provide the necessary evidence and facts as it related to the charge of Driving under the Influence (DUI) and Reckless Driving and therefore, dismissed both of those charges," Ansell of the Ansell, Grimm & Aaron law firm said. "Mr. Springsteen, who has no previous criminal record of any kind, voluntarily plead guilty to a violation of consuming an alcoholic beverage in a closed area, agreeing to a fine of $500. We want to thank the Court and will have no further comment at this time."
Bruce Springsteen was arrested back on Nov. 14, 2020 in his home state of New Jersey for three citations, including DWI. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
It was uncovered earlier this month that the singer was arrested in November for DWI, reckless driving and consuming alcohol in a closed area. The incident took place at the Gateway National Recreation Area.
Statements of probable cause obtained by Fox News show that "The Boss" allegedly refused to take a preliminary breath test when first approached by a park ranger on site.
"Springsteen refused to take a preliminary breath test (PBT), despite signs of intoxication namely after testing his gaze and walk and turn tests," a park ranger named R. L. Hayes alleges in the document.
Additionally, the ranger claimed to have observed the musician "consume a shot of Patron tequila" before getting on his motorcycle to "start the engine."
Hayes claims he informed Springsteen, a New Jersey native, that drinking on the park premises "is prohibited."
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"The Patron bottle that the shot was poured out of was completely empty (750ml)," the ranger also writes. "I asked Springsteen if he was leaving and he confirmed that he was going to drive out of the park."
Hayes claimed Springsteen reeked of alcohol. "[He] smelt strongly of alcohol coming off his person and had glassy eyes," the report states.
The ranger also said he "observed four out of six clues on the horizontal gaze nystagmus test." The musician was "visibly swaying back and forth while I observed his eyes," Hayes said. "I observed five out of eight clues on the walk and turn test. Springsteen took 45 total steps during the walk and turn instead of the instructed 19. [He] refused to provide a sample on the preliminary breath test."
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Word of Springsteen's arrest led to the deletion of his recent Super Bowl LV ad from YouTube.
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