Britney Spears has been charged with drink and drug driving, weeks after being arrested in California and then checking into rehab.
The 44-year-old singer was charged with driving under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs on Thursday, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office said.
This comes after the chart-topper left rehab on Wednesday night, after voluntarily checking herself in in early April, following the incident.
Her case is due in court on May 4 but she may not have to appear in person, the Attorney’s Office said, as it is a misdemeanour charge so her attorney can appear on her behalf.
If the singer pleads guilty to reckless driving, she will receive a 12-month probation during which she is required to complete a driving under the influence (DUI) class and pay state-mandated fines and fees.
This is because she has no prior DUI history, there was no crash or injury in her arrest, and she had a low blood alcohol level, according to the Attorney’s Office.
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The Toxic singer was arrested in California on March 5 after she was seen driving ‘erratically’.
Police said Spears ‘showed signs of impairment and submitted to a series of field sobriety tests’ after being pulled over.
Spears, who police said was alone in her black BMW 430i, was arrested for ‘driving under the influence of a combination of drugs and alcohol’ and taken to Ventura County Main Jail, northwest of Los Angeles.
A representative at the time said the ‘unfortunate incident’ was ‘completely inexcusable’, adding it would ideally be ‘the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life’.
They added: ‘Her boys are going to be spending time with her.
‘Her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue needed plan to set her up for success for wellbeing.’
She is now said to be ‘healthy and happy’ after leaving rehab, having been pictured for the first time since then in the passenger seat of a car in Calabasas, California.
A source told New York Post column Page Six: ‘[She is] doing really well … She’s healthy and happy and feeling very positive and excited to start afresh. Rehab was a great opportunity for her to ground herself.
‘She’s looking forward to a bright future.’
The publication reports Spears left rehab on Wednesday night and a second source added the singer is ‘continuing counselling remotely’.
In 2007, the Mississippi-born singer avoided a criminal hit-and-run trial by paying damages after photographers pictured Spears steering her car into another vehicle as she tried to park in a California car park, before walking away after assessing the damage to her own car.
Her arrest comes after she sold part of her rights to her back catalogue in February to music publisher Primary Wave for an unknown fee.
The purchase came after Spears’ 13-year conservatorship, which had control of her career decisions and finances, ended in 2021.
Most recently, Spears released a collaboration with Sir Elton John in 2022, and later collaborated with Black Eyed Peas member Will.i.am on a track titled Mind Your Business in 2023.
Spears’ decades-long career has seen her achieve six UK number one singles and eight UK top 10 albums, and she has also collaborated with stars such as Madonna, Rihanna, Iggy Azalea and Backstreet Boys.
Metro has contacted reps for Britney Spears for comment.
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