Famed rock star, Bruce Springsteen, has pleaded guilty to drinking tequila at Sandy Hook federal park in November 2020. However, his two other charges of drunken and reckless driving were dropped due to his blood alcohol content being found well below the legal limit. These charges were dropped on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021.
According to the prosecutors, they could not meet the legal burden to prove Springsteen had been driving drunk. The singer’s blood-alcohol level was .02 — which is well below the .08 legal threshold.
Springsteen sat next to his lawyer — Mitchell Ansell — as they appeared virtually before Magistrate Judge Anthony Mautone. The singer answered a couple of brief questions from his lawyer during the hearing. He admitted that he “had two small shots of tequila” in the prohibited area of Sandy Hook Park on Nov. 14, 2020.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Adam Baker, the singer refused to take the initial breathalyzer test during the field sobriety testing. However, he did give a sample upon reaching the park ranger station.
Baker further commented that the initial test is not required by law. The judge added that the test is not submissive in court either. Ansell further stated, “The government does not believe it can sustain its burden of proof. We respectfully move the court to dismiss the two (remaining) charges.”
The judge sentenced Springsteen to pay a fine of $540. Mautone further added that the singer had a relatively clean driving record since 1973.
Rarely would you see a driver’s abstract so devoid of any entries. I’m convinced a fine is the appropriate sentence in this case.
The judge then asked the singer when he would be able to pay the fine. To which, Springsteen slightly smiled and stated, “I think I can pay that immediately.”
Mautone then ordered Springsteen to pay the fine that day, including the $40 court fee.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Source:
Nj.com: Bruce Springsteen has DWI charges dropped, pleads guilty to drinking tequila in federal park in N.J.; by Kevin Shea
Featured Image Courtesy of Takahiro Kyono’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of Bob Shand’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
