Britney Spears has plead guilty to reckless driving under the influence, the New York Times reports. The pop star was arrested for suspicion of DUI last March after highway patrol officers in Ventura County, California found her driving erratically on Interstate 101 and showing "signs of impairment."
Spears was initially charged with the higher misdemeanor of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol Thursday, though prosecutors noted that because there was no crash or injury, Spears would have the opportunity to reach a plea deal and avoid further jail time. A lawyer entered the plea on her behalf during Monday's arraignment in Ventura County Superior Court. (Spears was not present.) As part of the plea deal, Spears will serve 12 months probation, complete a three-month substance abuse program, and pay a fine of $571. She was sentenced to one day in jail and credited for time served.
One of Spears' representatives said she had voluntarily checked herself into a treatment facility about a month after the arrest, though it's unclear what type of program she entered or exactly what drugs had been found in her system. TMZ previously reported that she was in possession of Adderall, possibly laced with narcotics, when she was arrested.
At the time of her arrest, a representative for Spears said that her actions were “completely inexcusable” and that “hopefully this can be the first step in long-overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life.” After her account was temporarily deactivated, Spears is back to regular frequent posting on Instagram.
